Persian Rugs: Serapi Rugs and Serab Rugs and Carpets Guide

From Serab to Serapi

Serab was both a town and a Khanate. The use of i on the end indicates that it is from Serab so simply put Serabi means from Serab. All the rugs and carpets from the Heriz area would have been known as Serab under the old name of the area. The carpets known in the trade as Serapi are clearly from the old Serab Khanate. How then did Serabi carpets become known as Serapi? I suggest that about the time the west was coming to know the carpets of Serab a major news and gossip item was the Prince of Wales 1876 trip to India on the H.M.S. Serapis. Similar words and I suggest that Serapis became the popular pronunciation since it was the more familiar sound.

• Prior to 1813 Serab and the whole greater Mount Savalan region including the rug producing areas such as Heriz, Ahar, Gorevan, etc.. was the Khanate of Serab. see Chronology of Azerbaijan History and neighboring regions

• Cecil Edwards made the point that Serapi rugs are from Serab.

• In the United States the highest quality of Heriz Carpets are called Serapi.

• Quality is higher than the average and knot counts are around 80 knots per square inch with the very best going up to 100 knots per square inch.

• Serapes have mellow colors and a less busy field than a standard Heriz.

• A Serapi Northwest Persia, Azerbaijan, 2nd half 19th century

Serapi Rugs: Serapi Northwest Persia, Azerbaijan, 2nd half 19th century