These colourful carpets and rugs are hand-woven in Fars province of south-west West Asia and are brought to market in the Capital city of Shiraz, near the ancient city of Persepolis. The Qashqa’i tribes, now largely settled, who weave these beautiful rugs are particularly well known for their use of vibrant colours, achieved through high quality, hand spun and often natural dyed yarns. The designs are well executed showing Caucasian influence, with the “chain medallions” frequently encountered, along with combs, stylised birds and animals. They are woven on a horizontal ground loom, with a foundation of ivory woollen warps and characteristically red dyed wefts, having edges over wrapped in different coloured yarns producing an attractive barber’s pole effect.