The Arteverk Rug Encyclopedia
A rug's name usually tells you its weave — a centuries-old design tradition with its own look, history and feel. This is our honest, in-house guide to the great hand-knotted weaves we actually carry: what each one is, how it is made, and how to choose the right one for your home.
Every guide here is grounded in real, in-stock pieces we actually carry — not generic encyclopedia copy. Where a rug's design comes from one place but the rug itself was woven in another, we say so plainly. Start with a weave below, read what makes a rug hand-knotted, or — if you already have a rug and aren't sure what it is — see how to identify your rug.
Explore the weaves
Ziegler
Open, scrolling arabesque fields in soft, vegetable-dyed color. Our most-loved line — calm enough for any room.
Read the guide →
Kazak
Bold, tribal geometry and vivid color from the Caucasus tradition. Thick, substantial wool with real presence.
Read the guide →
Oushak
Large-scale, airy designs in luminous, soft palettes from the western Turkish tradition. Relaxed and elegant.
Read the guide →
Heriz
A bold, angular central medallion and a sturdy, hard-wearing build. The classic statement-floor rug.
Read the guide →
Kashan
A central medallion in a dense, finely drawn floral field, in deep jewel colors. Formal and richly traditional.
Read the guide →
Bokhara
Rows of the repeating “elephant-foot” gul from the Turkmen tradition. Quiet, symmetrical, soft underfoot.
Read the guide →
Gabbeh
Thick, plush pile and bold, pared-back design in warm, naturally dyed color. Cozy, modern and tactile.
Read the guide →
Kilim
A flatweave with no pile — hand-woven, not knotted — in bold tribal motifs and vivid color. Light and reversible.
Read the guide →A note on names and places. Many of these designs were born in one country and are woven in another today. A “Ziegler” or “Peshawar” rug, for example, describes a Sultanabad-tradition design that is now hand-knotted in Afghanistan and Pakistan — beautiful, new, and one of a kind. We always describe each rug by where it was actually made and whether it is new, vintage or antique, in its own specs. That honesty is the whole point of this encyclopedia.
Before you choose
Rug size guide
Find the right size for every room, with diagrams.
Rug care guide
How to vacuum, rotate, blot spills and store a wool rug.
Hand-knotted, explained
What hand-knotted means — and why it lasts generations.
Identify your rug
Have a rug or just a photo? How to tell the weave — and real from machine-made.
Common questions
What is the difference between Ziegler and Oushak rugs?
Both are soft, large-scale decorative rugs, but they come from different traditions. A Ziegler (also called Chobi or Peshawar) is woven to the open, scrolling Sultanabad design in muted, vegetable-dyed color — calm and versatile. An Oushak comes from the western Turkish tradition: airy, large-scale florals in luminous, slightly faded palettes, with a little more warmth and looseness. Both are hand-knotted in wool; the ones we carry are new pieces woven in Afghanistan and Pakistan. For the quietest, most neutral look choose Ziegler; for a softly luminous, more openly floral feel choose Oushak.
Which hand-knotted rug weave is the most durable?
All genuine hand-knotted wool rugs are built to last decades, but the sturdiest tend to be the thicker, tighter geometric weaves — Heriz, Kazak and Bokhara — whose dense pile and bold patterns hide everyday wear. Finer city rugs like Kashan and Nain feel more delicate but are still extremely long-lived. The single biggest factor is that a rug is truly hand-knotted in wool (not power-loomed or tufted), which every piece in our hand-knotted collection is. Good wool, a tight knot, and simple care — vacuum, rotate, use a rug pad — matter more than the specific weave.
Are new hand-knotted rugs as good as antique ones?
Yes — a well-made new hand-knotted rug is woven with the same centuries-old technique, hand-spun wool and natural dyes as an antique, just without a hundred years of wear. The great reproduction weaves (Ziegler, Chobi, Peshawar) were created precisely to bring antique artistry to new rugs: antique design, modern quality control. Genuine antiques carry history and rarity, but can also carry old repairs and fragility. We carry both and label each honestly — new, vintage or antique — so you can choose with full information.
Where are Arteverk's hand-knotted rugs made?
Arteverk is the US home of a three-generation rug family, in the trade since 1970. We make our own hand-knotted lines at the family's facilities in Lahore, Pakistan, with master Afghan weavers, and curate a smaller selection of genuine vintage and antique pieces. A rug's design tradition (say, "Ziegler" or "Kashan") and the country it was actually woven in are often different — so every product page states plainly where that specific rug was made and whether it is new, vintage or antique. We sell and ship maker-direct from our Houston showroom, nationwide.
How do I choose the right rug weave for my home?
Start with the feeling you want. For calm, neutral and versatile, choose Ziegler or Oushak. For bold color and tribal character, choose Kazak or Gabbeh. For a formal, traditional room, Kashan or Heriz. For something soft and quiet underfoot, Bokhara or a plush Gabbeh. Then check the size against your room (our rug size guide has diagrams) and see the real colors in your light. Because each hand-knotted rug is one of a kind, tell us your room, size and palette and we'll hand-pick a few pieces for you, in the showroom or over video.
Not sure which weave is right?
Tell us your room, your size and your colors — we will hand-pick a few one-of-a-kind pieces for you, in person or over a live video call.
