From the highly ornate silk rugs of Isphahan to the tribal weavings of Quashgai Nomads, weaving has always been a matter of national pride in Iran, or Persia as it was formerly known.

Persian rugs have such a huge variety of quality, design, colour, size and construction methods. This is due in part to the many different ethnic groups that make up Iran's population – from Kurds to Armenians, Bakhtiaris to Balouchis. All maintain their own heritage, traditions and cultures and weavings reflect their unique character and lifestyle traits.

The depth of character in tribal carpets easily differentiates them from the formal city rugs. Tribal weavers use stylistic images and symbols of what they see in nature and the environment ... sun, flowers, trees, birds and animals.

On the other hand, city carpets have extremely fine details showing off magnificent woven gardens, hunting scenes and depictions of the ornate tile work seen in the ancient mosques.

Traditionally, rugs from Persia are either geometric or curvilinear – floral – in design. They feature the Senna knot and are made of wool, animal hair or silk.

Some of the more famous rug weaving districts in Iran are Tabriz, Isphahan, Qum, Kashan, Nain, Shiraz and Kerman.