Explore the world of antique Near Eastern rugs and their rich histories. This book surveys rug design, technique, and history across the Near East, with careful notes on Armenian animal rugs, Sefevi-period weaving, and the cross-cultural influences that shaped patterns and motifs. It connects textile art to broader cultural exchange, showing how styles moved between Persia, Armenia, and neighboring regions over centuries. Readers will gain a clear sense of how knotting, color, and ground patterns reveal a rug’s origin, purpose, and era. The discussion links decorative motifs to historical contexts, offering a framework to evaluate and compare famous examples in collections around the world. How to identify key features of different rug traditions, including Armenian and Persian forms. - What weave, color, and pattern choices say about a rug’s date and place of origin. - Examples of influential motifs and how cross-cultural influences appear in designs. - Guidance on comparing rugs across museum collections and private holdings. Ideal for readers of decorative arts, textile history, and antique rug collecting who want a grounded, nontechnical introduction to a wide range of examples.