Vintage Persian Shiraz Rug

Shiraz rugs come from the villages and tribal settlements surrounding the ancient city of Shiraz in Iran's Fars Province, woven by nomadic and semi-nomadic weavers who have maintained their craft across generations. They are tribal rugs in the truest sense, made by hand, from memory, without pattern books or factory floors. This rug is hand-knotted from 100% hand-spun wool on a wool foundation, using the Persian asymmetric knot. The wool comes from the weavers' own sheep, grazing the pastures of the Zagros Mountains, naturally lanolin-rich, strong, and with a slight lustre that holds over time. The all-wool construction gives it a warmth and flexibility that cotton-based rugs don't have, and the weave is robust rather than fine, which is characteristic of tribal work and exactly why these rugs last. The designs are bold and geometric, diamond medallions, stylised animals, botanical symbols and tribal motifs worked entirely from memory. No two rugs carry exactly the same interpretation. Slight distortions in the shape and shifts in tone across the field are part of how the rug was made, not flaws in it. As a vintage piece, the colours have already mellowed and the pile has settled. What you're looking at has only improved with time.