Bakhtiari Rugs

Persian Bakhtiari rugs are woven by the nomadic tribes and settled villagers of the Zagros Mountains in Persia. They are most famous for the “Khesti” or garden compartment design, where the field is divided into squares containing individual motifs like weeping willows or flowering shrubs.

Known as some of the most durable Persian rugs, they use high-quality, sturdy wool. Their bold, colorful, and architectural look makes them a favorite for anchoring large living rooms with a sense of “tribal-meets-formal” sophistication.

Bakhtiari rugs are renowned for their robust construction and the distinctive compartmentalized garden designs (khesti) that symbolize paradise. Woven by the nomadic Bakhtiari tribes, these highly durable textiles showcase geometric yet intricately detailed motifs, reflecting the deep cultural traditions of Persia’s weaving regions; discover more about related tribal styles, such as the weaving characteristics of Bakshaish rugs. Two numbers are worth knowing before you search this archive. Bakhtiari is the large-format answer: nearly 40% of the antique Bakhtiaris we stock are 12 by 15 feet or bigger, against 15% across our whole antique inventory, and only one is a runner. And the price premium is the size rather than the weave, because compared size for size a Bakhtiari sits within about a tenth of the market. Our antique Bakhtiari rug buying and identification guide has the measured size and price bands, the khesti garden layout explained panel by panel, and the difference between tribal drawing and village weaving.