Qashqai

Qashqai Rugs

A Tradition Passed Down Through The Generations

The high quality of these rugs is especially evident in antique Qashqai rugs made before the 1940s.

The traditional weaving methods, high quality, and exclusive use of unprocessed vegetable coloring have contributed to the huge popularity of antique Qashqai rugs among other Persian rugs. 

Qashqai rugs are recognized by their bold, graphic designs and their bright, joyful color combinations of madder red, indigo blue and golden-yellow.

Although the designs may sometimes tend to be more whimsical, they almost always follow a convention template that has been in use for several generations.

Qashqai Rugs: Characteristic Features

There’s nothing subtle or quiet about the color or designs of Qashqai rugs. The rugs are woven using large amounts of very bold shades of red. Providing a perfect complement to the prominent red are classic yellow and indigo blue.

 

Where Qashqai Rugs are Made
qashqai rug with diamond madallion
Qashqai Rug With Vertically Connected Diamond Medallions

Qashqai rugs have several different types of medallion layouts and this is because of the different origins of the weavers who learnt the different layouts from their families.

In one type of layout, the medallions appear shaped as hexagons or regular diamonds. Sometimes they appear as 3 diamonds that are vertically connected. Another common patterns is to have 4 hooks surrounding a small sized diamond or square shaped feature inside the medallion. Sometimes, this square or diamond surrounded by hooks appears in the rug as an all-over pattern.

 

The Qashgai Tribe

The Qashqai rugs are woven by Qashqai tribeswomen, who came from different ethnic backgrounds including Turkoman, Arabs, Lurs and Kurds. Irrespective of their ethnic or cultural background, these weavers all descended from several generations of skilled weavers who passed their tradition down to their descendants.

The Qashqai clan are in fact a tribal confederation that’s comprised of several different tribal groups including descendants of the Ersari and Turkmen tribes.

These groups have been part of this Qashqai Confederacy since the 16th Century. They are primarily pastoral nomads. Their movements are determined by the seasons, as they migrate in search of greener pastures for their goats and sheep, which are their source of livelihood.

 

Qashqai Weavers Spinning Wool
Qashqai Weavers Spinning Wool

The rugs are all-wool. The wool used in weaving traditional Qashqai rugs is usually of superior quality and hard wearing, which shows in the higher quality and longer lasting quality of the finished rug. The carpets are woven having asymmetric knots and the finished piece will usually feature deeply depressed warps with red-dyed wefts and a fine weave.

A barber-pole selvage gives the edges a finished look and most rugs will feature a kilim at both ends. Most rugs made by the Qashqai weavers were medium sized, although you will see them in different sizes too.

Qashqai Weavers Working Together On A Single Rug
Qashqai Weavers Working Together On A Single Rug

Qashqai weavers remained staunchly supportive and connected to each other as they set up and dismantled their looms over and over again. In fact, it is not uncommon to see several tribeswomen squatting over one long vertical loom, chatting, singing, laughing and connecting with each other while working on a single rug at a time.

Very often, a weaver will move from one loom to another, helping different weavers while catching up with the day’s stories, before returning to her own loom to resume her own weaving. While some weavers are busy with their looms, the other women scour the nearby mountains and countryside in search of barks, berries, herbs and other foliage that they can use to manufacture their dye.

This simple lifestyle and the underlying joy and connectedness is reflected in the rugs, which always have a very joyful appearance that can brighten up any space where it is placed.

 

Distinctive Features Of Antique Qashqai Rugs

Antique Qashqai rugs typically feature bold tribal designs in a bright, vibrant colors such as indigo blue, madder red, and classic yellow. The designs are often accented with ivory and light green.

These rugs have a relatively high knot count that varies from a minimum of about 70 KPSI to more than 170 KPSI. The higher the knot count, the more defined the pattern on the rug and the higher its quality.

The diamond medallion is one of the most notable designs found on antique Qashqai rugs. The interesting part is every weaver created their own depiction of this diamond medallion so that every rug features a one-of-a-mind design.

Another striking feature of antique Qashqai rugs is that they rarely feature random patterns. The weavers go to great lengths to weave a story into their deign using depictions of everyday items such as flowers, trees, people, animals and other household items to narrate their story.

Qashqai Rug
Qashqai Rugs Feature Flowers, Trees, People, Animals And Other Household Items.

Why Are Antique Qashqai Rugs So Popular In The West

One of the defining characteristic of Qashqai weavers is their uncompromising commitment to quality. They are in no hurry to complete their creations, preferring instead to spend time tying each knot perfectly. The result is a fine quality rug that is always appreciated in the west.

Qashqai Persian Rug In The Living Area
Qashqai Weavers Spend Time Tying Each Knot Perfectly.

How to Identify A Qashqai Rug

In addition to the high quality and colorful design, look for these two features to identify an authentic antique Qashqai rug.

Check the wefts. Authentic Qashqais will almost always have a red weft. A few pieces may have brown wefts that are made from undyed wool.

Check the selvages of the rug. In authentic Qashqai rugs, the right and left side of the selvage will be two-toned.

3x5 Qashqai Persian Rug
While Authentic Qashqais Will Almost Always Have A Red Weft, A few pieces May Have Brown Wefts That Are Made From Undyed Wool.

What Is The Difference Between A Persian Qashqai And A Qashqai Design Rug

A Persian Qashqai is a genuine Qashqai rug woven in Iran by Qashqai weavers. A Qashqai design rug is one that features typical designs found in Qashqai rugs but it’s not woven in Iran. Instead it may be woven in any other country that makes Oriental rugs.

Qashqai Runner In Living Room
A Persian Qashqai Is Genuine Qashqai Rug woven In Iran While A Qashqai Design Rug Features Typical Designs Of Qashqai rugs But It’s Not Woven In Iran.

Typical Sizes Of Qashqai Rugs

Qashqai rugs are usually found in small to medium sizes. Large Qashqais are rare.

Smaller rug sizes range are about 2’ x 3.5’ while medium size rugs range from about 3.7’ x 5.2’ to 4’ x 6’.

Larger size Qashqais measure about 5.9’ x 8.10’ to 7.5’ x 11.6’.

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