Persian Qashqai Striped Rug – Moharamat

Persian Qashqai striped rug handwoven in Iran from wool. This specific design is also referred to as Cane Moharamat and bears the Paisley (transliterated from Farsi as Boteh) motif.

The Persian tribal Qashqai group are a historically significant ‘confederacy’ which is made up of a group of once independent tribes inhabiting different areas within the south-west province of Fars. Fars was once the ancient kingdom of Pars, home to the important Persian royal city of Takht-i Jamshid and more familiarly known to us, from ancient Greek, as Persepolis; In turn, Persepolis, a ruin which is now a world heritage site and close to the marketing town of Shiraz. These independent tribes were formed into a confederacy in the 18th century by the then government to stop the tribes fighting and squabbling amongst themselves and enabling a single head to be identified and made responsible for maintaining the peace with the aim of collecting taxes and providing well trained equipped soldiers if needed for the greater good. Despite their formal recognition in the 18th century, the tribes had been inter-marrying and forming localised confederacies amongst themselves long before this official recognition, confirmed by the growing use of the Qashqai title from the 16th century onwards. The principal tribes that make up the Persian Qashqai confederacy and which are known as weavers of rugs and woven artefacts such as bags and animal trappings, are the Kashkuli, Amaleh, Darrehshuri, Shish Boluki and Sherkalu. These are known as the ‘taifeh’ or principal tribes which can in turn be broken down into ‘tireh’, or sub-tribes, namely the Bollu and Igde. Other tribal groups in the Fars area are the Lors and the Khamseh, and there are times when rug patterns, and motifs generally associated with one group can be cross fertilised and used by other groups of tribal weavers, which can occasionally muddy the waters in attribution. Inevitably in Persian Qashqai rugs, the styles of designs, the motifs, compositions and colours are shared amongst the entire group creating an accepted homogenous style. There are certain motifs and styles of representation that can be attributed to a taifeh, and even a tireh.

For further information please contact us and our team will be pleased to assist you. All pieces in the collection are under the auspices of Essie Sakhai, one of the world’s foremost experts and collectors of fine handmade Persian rugs and carpets.