Shiraz the city that was home to some of Persia’s greatest poets, scholars & artists is located in South Central Persia. The city itself dates back to 2000BC with the earliest references being found on clay tablets from the Elamite people. It was the capital of Persia during the Zand dynasty from 1750 until 1800.
Shiraz is known as the city of poets, literature, wine (despite Iran being an Islamic republic since 1979), and flowers. It is also considered by many Iranians to be the city of gardens, due to the many gardens and fruit trees that can be seen across the city. Shiraz has had major Jewish and Christian communities. The crafts of Shiraz consist of inlaid mosaic work of triangular design; silver-ware; pile carpet-weaving and weaving of kilim. In Shiraz, industries such as cement production, sugar, fertilisers, textile products, wood products, metalwork and rugs dominate.
How To Identify a Shiraz Rug or Kilim
Identifying a Shiraz rug isn’t always an easy task, they don’t have any designs of their own and take on the designs of the surrounding towns and nomads when weaving. Below we have compiled a collection of rugs and kilims woven in Shiraz;
Typically Shiraz rugs will be made from 100% pure wool, unlike the majority of Persian rugs which are woven with a cotton base and wool knotting. Shiraz rugs will have wool fringing, which will be darker in colour and a thick woollen pile.
Identifying a Shiraz kilim is a little easier than identifying their piled cousins, they will also follow the same patterns as kilims from the Qashqai tribe, however they will be a bit more uniform and they are more numerous than their Qashqai counterparts.
Materials Used to Weave Shiraz Rugs
Typically you will find Shiraz rugs woven from 100% pure wool and natural dyes. Occasionally you can find Shiraz rugs woven using a cotton base with woollen knotting. Below is an image of a 100% pure wool Shiraz rug, you can see the wool fringing.
Shiraz rugs are a great way to add a more informal, geometric and rustic feel to your home. Carrying the designs of the nomadic rugs but without the exclusivity. They’re a great way to add a Persian rug to your home whilst keeping costs down.