QUM

Qum is the oldest holy city for Shiite Muslims. Evidence of human settlements in the area date back to the 5th millennium B.C. Therefore, the city abounds in history and splendid monuments such as the sanctuary of Masumeh  or the majestic mosque of Hazrate Fatemah. Even though rug production began rather recently, indeed the first looms in Qum were set up around 1930, by a group of merchants form Kashan, the locally made rugs quickly acquired market status thanks to the fine workmanship and variety of patterns that are based on those from the Persian cities with much older traditions. Therefore, we can find Qum rugs with full-field floral designs similar to those of Isfahan or with a central medallion like the Kashans. Other Qum rugs are inspired by the panels of the Bakhtiaris: they are made more finely and with a greater wealth of details than the "originals." The boteh  and zir-i-sultan  have also become classic patterns in these rugs. As to colours, Qum rugs are made in a truly vast range that often includes very lively tones: red, blue, azure and cream are the most widely used for the field, although much softer shades were used in the 1970s. The pride of contemporary Persian rug production consists of the Qums made entirely of silk: they are finely knotted (with even more than on million knots per square meter), rich in colours, shadings and meticulous details that have no equal anywhere in Persia.