Shiraz
Shiraz Rugs
Shiraz rugs are the only type of Persian rugs that feature nightingales, which are said to symbolize happiness and contentment. The nightingales are designed as angular shaped birds.
Origin
Shiraz rugs are manufactured in the villages in and around Shiraz, a city that lies in the south western region of Iran in the province of Fars.
Unlike many of the other city rugs, Shiraz rugs are not produced in large factories that are professionally set up.
Instead, they are hand woven by tribal weavers on homemade fixed looms. As the weavers finish working on their creations. They take the finished rugs to the main market to be sold to traders who then put together a substantial collection of these rugs and either export them or sell them off to larger traders.
Design and Patterns of Shiraz Rugs
If you take a closer look at Shiraz rugs you will see that they have several similarities to many other types of Persian rugs, particularly rugs that originate from the Qashquai, Abadeh, Afshar, Luri and Khamseh regions. This is because most of the weavers in the city of Shiraz are settlers who relocated here from the other regions. When they relocated they brought with them they own distinct weaving style, resulting in a mixed variety of styles in the rugs that originate from the city.
Most rugs feature geometric designs, usually with a pole medallion featured in the center and several pole medallions scattered all over the field of the rug. The borders of the rugs often have a larger band that is surrounded by smaller bands. The bands are further decorated with pine leaf and palm designs.
Color of Shiraz Rugs
In the older rugs, the predominant colors used in creating the various designs were bold brown and bright red. However in the newer rugs, you can also find other colors such as khakhi and soft green.
Quality And Thickness of Shiraz Rugs
Most Shiraz rugs do not have a high knot count, except for Abadeh and Qashqai, both of which have finer knots. The rugs are quite thick with a wool or cotton foundation and the pile is not very tight.  The average knot count of these rugs is around 120 KPSI.
The fixed looms that the weavers use allows them to create rugs that are much larger in size as compared to rugs woven on portable looms. These rugs have earned a reputation for their good quality. They are highly durable and are an excellent choice for placing in high traffic areas in your home or office.
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