TEHRAN – Four exquisite Qashqai rugs, handwoven by Iranian tribespeople, will be unveiled today at the Carpet Museum of Iran in downtown Tehran.

It is the first time that the Carpet Museum of Iran exhibits such gorgeous Qashqai rugs, the museum director Parisa Beizaei said in an interview with IRNA on Sunday.

A number of experts in Persian carpet and cultural heritage officials have been invited to the unveiling ceremony, in which twenty other Qashqai rugs will be also showcased, Beizaei added.

Qashqai people have a reputation of making the best rugs from the Shiraz district of Iran. They are the brightest in coloring, with rich blues and reds and some use of golden yellow. Usually their designs are geometric, perhaps with a row of three diamond medallions against a background replete with tiny forms of all kinds, including stylized animals and birds, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.

The designs are often based on Persian urban sources. They are asymmetrically knotted on an all-wool foundation. Mecca-Shiraz is a dealers’ term for such rugs, with little apparent reason.

Persian carpets are sought after internationally for their delicate designs and high quality. Official figures show handmade carpets have a significant share in Iran’s non-oil exports.

AFM/MG