Guide to Rug Symbols and Their Meanings
Comprehensive Guide to Antique Rug Symbols and Design Patterns
Antique Rug Symbols — In this guide, we take a look at the meaning behind common symbols found in antique rugs.
The tribes and cultures from around the world that have traditions of producing the fine handmade rugs, carpets, & textiles that make up the Nazmiyal Collection’s inventory often use symbolism in their work to give their finished pieces a sense of meaning. Whether these symbolic motifs are religious, social, or informative, they imbue the antique and vintage rugs they are woven into with a sense of history and narrative.
Click the motifs on the grid below to learn about their meanings and histories:
[grid columns=5]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Animal Pelts” alt=”Animal Pelt Symbols at Nazmiyal” link=”/area-rug-guide/motifs-symbols/animal-pelts/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/animal-pelts-design-rugs-nazmiyal.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Berber Tattoos” alt=”Berber Tattoo Symbols at Nazmiyal” link=”/berber-carpets-rugs/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/berber-tattoos-nazmiyal.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Boteh Plants” alt=”Boteh Plant Symbols at Nazmiyal” link=”/boteh-paisley-pattern-rugs/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/boteh-plants-nazmiyal.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Camels” alt=”Camel Symbols at Nazmiyal” link=”/area-rug-guide/motifs-symbols/camels/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/camel-motif-carpets-nazmiyal.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Chintamani” alt=”Chintamani Symbols at Nazmiyal” link=”/area-rug-guide/motifs-symbols/chintamani/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/chintamani-rugs-nazmiyal.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Chinese Dragons” alt=”Chinese Dragons Symbols at Nazmiyal” link=”/chinese-dragon-rugs/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/chinese-dragons-rugs-nazmiyal.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Cupids” alt=”Cupid Symbols at Nazmiyal” link=”/area-rug-guide/motifs-symbols/cupids-cherubs/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/cupids-or-cherubs-rugs-nazmiyal.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Cypress Trees” alt=”Cypress Tree Symbols at Nazmiyal” link=”/area-rug-guide/motifs-symbols/cypress-trees/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/cypress-trees-rugs-nazmiyal.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Coats of Arms” alt=”Coats of Arms Symbols at Nazmiyal” link=”/area-rug-guide/motifs-symbols/coat-of-arms/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/coats-of-arms-nazmiyal.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Eight Pointed Stars” alt=”Eight Pointed Stars Symbols at Nazmiyal” link=”/area-rug-guide/motifs-symbols/eight-pointed-stars-rug-design-motif/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/eight-pointed-stars-nazmiyal.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Evil Eye” alt=”Evil Eye Symbols at Nazmiyal” link=”/area-rug-guide/motifs-symbols/the-eye/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/evil-eye-rugs-nazmiyal.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Garden Designs” alt=”Garden Design Symbols at Nazmiyal” link=”/garden-design-rugs/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/garden-design-rugs.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Geometric People” alt=”Geometric People Symbols at Nazmiyal” link=”/area-rug-guide/motifs-symbols/geometric-people/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/geometric-people.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Gols” alt=”Gol Symbols at Nazmiyal” link=”/area-rug-guide/motifs-symbols/golgul/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/gols-nazmiyal.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Golfarang” alt=”Golfarang Symbols at Nazmiyal” link=”/area-rug-guide/motifs-symbols/golfarang/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/golfarang-design-rugs-nazmiyal.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Herati / Mahi / Fish” alt=”Herati/Mahi Symbols at Nazmiyal” link=”/mahi-herati-fish-design-rugs/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/mahi-herati-fish-design-rugs-nazmiyal.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Hunting Scenes” alt=”Hunting Scene Symbols at Nazmiyal” link=”/hunting-scene-rugs-carpets/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/hunting-rugs-nazmiyal.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Islimi” alt=”Islimi Symbols at Nazmiyal” link=”/area-rug-guide/motifs-symbols/islimi/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/islimi-and-arabesque-design-rugs-nazmiyal.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Judaic Motifs” alt=”Judaic Motif Symbols at Nazmiyal” link=”/jewish-judaica-rugs/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/judaic-motifs-nazmiyal.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Kufic” alt=”Kufic Symbols at Nazmiyal” link=”/area-rug-guide/motifs-symbols/kufic/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/kufic-design-rugs-nazmiyal.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Lion With Sword” alt=”Iranian Lion With Sword Symbol by Nazmiyal” link=”/persian-lion-sword-sun-symbol-rugs/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/iranian-lion-and-sword-design-symbol-nazmiyal-persian-rugs.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Pomegranate Design Pattern” alt=”Pomegranate Design Pattern by Nazmiyal Rugs” link=”/pomegranate-symbol-design-rugs/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/pomegranate-design-pattern-nazmiyal-antique-rugs.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Tiger Symbol” alt=”Tiger Symbol In Rugs by Nazmiyal” link=”/tiger-rugs/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/tiger-symbol-antique-tiger-rugs-nazmiyal-antique-carpets.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Crab Design” alt=”Image of the Crab Design Symbol by Nazmiyal Antique Rugs” link=”/area-rug-guide/motifs-symbols/crab-design-rugs/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/crab-design-rugs-nazmiyal.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Swastika Design” alt=”Picture for the Swastika Design Symbol by Nazmiyal Antique Rugs in NYC” link=”/area-rug-guide/motifs-symbols/swastika-symbol-design-history/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/swastika-design-symbol-nazmiyal-antique-rugs.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Greek Key” alt=”Greek Key / Running Dog Design In Rugs” link=”https://nazmiyalantiquerugs.pre-prod.online/running-dog-greek-key-rugs/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/greek-key-rugs-nazmiyal.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Foo Dogs” alt=”Chinese Foo Dig Design Nazmiyal Antique Rugs” link=”https://nazmiyalantiquerugs.pre-prod.online/chinese-foo-dog-lion/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/foo-dog-rugs-nazmiyal.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Sun Symbol” alt=”Sun Symbol by Nazmiyal Antique Rugs” link=”/area-rug-guide/motifs-symbols/sun-symbol/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/sun-symbol-design-nazmiyal.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Cloud Band Design” alt=”Cloud Band Rugs and Design History by Nazmiyal Antique Rugs in NYC” link=”https://nazmiyalantiquerugs.pre-prod.online/chinese-cloud-band-design-rugs/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/cloud-band-rugs-nazmiyal.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Shah Abbas Design” alt=”Shah Abbas Floral Design By Nazmiyal USA” link=”/rug-patterns-carpet-designs/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/shah-abbas-palmette-rugs-nazmiyal.jpg”]
[grid_element_image_with_title skip_text_title=1 title=”Vase Design” alt=”Antique Persian Vase Design Rugs” link=”https://nazmiyalantiquerugs.pre-prod.online/antique-persian-vase-design-rugs/” image=”https://cdn.nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/antique-persian-vase-design-rugs-nazmiyal.jpg”]
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