Story Behind the Art Hand-knotted rugs are Pakistan's second-largest cottage and small industry that began as early as the 11th century under the Mughal rule. The craftsmen have the capacity to produce any type of rug using all the popular motifs of guls, medallions, paisleys (botehs), traceries, and geometric designs in various combinations .But the Pak Persian rugs are a quality best defined by their 16 by 18 KPSI count yielding over 288 kpsi or the common 300 KPSI quality which makes them exceptionally dense and enduring for high traffic area. Initially produced to address the vacuum when the US stopped trading with Iran in the 1970s, these rugs have persisted and are quite popular due to their superior weaving and array of design choices.