Antique Persian Sarouk (Saruk) Rugs

Sarouk is a name of a village situated about 25 miles north of Arak (Sultanabad). This region became one of the most active regions of carpet weaving in the late 19th Century through the early 20th Century. The city's most famous designer was named Farahan. To be able to compete with Kashan in rug commerce, Farahan designed rugs with center medallion motifs. Today, these carpets are referred to as antique 19th century Farahan Sarouks. However, in the early 20th Century, a vast number of Sarouks with all over floral patterns were exported to the American market. The transition in this design is known as the Mahajaran Sarouk. The resulting latter production in the 1920's through the 1940's became known as the Sarouk.
Today, continued rug production on a workshop base has resulted in a lower quality than the pre 1940 era. A peculiar practice was initiated with Sarouk carpets in the early 20th Century period. Initially, many of these items were being washed to soften the harsh wool, but the washing process lightened the natural dyes of these carpets. To meet consumer demand during the early 20th Century, the dealers in United States started the process of dying these carpets with shades of darker colors like red, wine, cherry, and deep burgundy color (complimenting the wood furniture of the early 20th Century). Therefore, almost all the Sarouks we find now are painted with permanent dyes.