The Persian carpet also known as Persian rug is an essential part of Persian art and culture. Carpet-weaving is one of the most distinguished manifestations of Persian culture and art, and dates back to ancient Persia. Iran is also the world's largest producer and exporter of handmade carpets, producing three quarters of the world's total output. The weaving of pile rugs is a difficult and tedious process which, depending on the quality and size of the rug, may take anywhere from a few months to several years to complete.
A genuine Persian rug, depending on its age, size, and quality of craftsmanship, can fetch from few hundreds to thousands or even millions of dollars. There are many different types of Persian rugs available on the market. Some are genuine and of good quality, some are machine made to resemble a traditional Persian rug, and some are collectible as antiques, worth exorbitant amounts of money.