Khotan Rugs

Khotan rugs are celebrated hand‑knotted carpets that originate from the historic city of Khotan (also spelled Hotan) in the Tarim Basin of western China’s Xinjiang region, an area long connected to the Silk Road and cultural exchange between East and West. Khotan weaving reflects a unique synthesis of Central Asian, Persian, and Chinese artistic influences, resulting in carpets that feel both familiar within the broader Oriental tradition and distinct in their aesthetic language.

Renowned for their balanced compositions and elegant motifs, Khotan rugs most often fill the field with a repeating geometric design arranged with a sense of harmony and proportion, and the motif that identifies the group above all others is the pomegranate, drawn as a branching vine or a lattice of fruit. A medallion appears on a minority of pieces, and floral drawing is the exception rather than the rule. The pile is hand‑knotted wool, allowing for a crisp rendering of pattern and a resilient, inviting surface.

Colour palettes in Khotan carpets run light and warm: soft ivories, creams and beiges, warm golds, earth tones and coral are the characteristic colours, while rich reds and deep blues are the exception rather than the rule. The colours are often paired in thoughtful contrasts that enhance both detail and overall visual impact. These rugs are admired not only for their technical craftsmanship but also for their ability to bridge tradition and versatility, making them elegant additions to both classic and contemporary interiors.

Khotan rugs remain prized by collectors, designers, and rug enthusiasts for their artistic depth, historical lineage, and the refined interplay of design and color — qualities that speak to a weaving tradition shaped by centuries of cultural interaction and aesthetic innovation.

Khotan rugs are exquisite treasures from the ancient Silk Road, representing a unique artistic confluence of Chinese, Central Asian, and Persian influences that result in pieces known for their distinctive visual lightness and characteristic motifs. Defined by their often elongated formats and symbolic designs, you can discover more about the history and patterns of rugs of Central Asia, and learn about the specialized style of rugs known as Khotan. Four measured facts about the antique Khotans in this archive are worth having before you browse it. The format is the reason most people buy one: they come long and, unusually among long rugs, they come wide. Of the 42 we hold, the median rug measures 6.0 by 11.5 feet, 57% land in the room size band against 30% of our antique inventory, and 15 of the 42 are 6 by 12, a size bucket that holds only 2% of our antiques. Across every long antique we stock, only 30% reach 5 feet wide, while 85% of these do. The design signature is the pomegranate: just 17 of our 4,851 antique rugs carry that motif and 10 of them are Khotans. The palette runs light and warm, with ivory, beige and cream at 45% of these rugs against 29% catalogue wide and earth tones at nearly twice their usual rate. And the median asking price is $9,000 against $9,800 across our antiques, which matched for size is a modest saving in the small and middle sizes and parity in the largest. Our antique Khotan rug buying and identification guide sets out the measured format and price bands, how to date one, and the checks worth making before you buy.