Kashan is located 258 km South of Tehran. Part of this township is located in a vast plain and the other part is in a mountainous area. The climate of the township, like other central parts of Persia, is changeable depending on height of the area. The mountainous regions are cold and the plain areas, especially bordering the desert, are warm. Kashan is one of the oldest cities of Persia. According to archeological excavations in the Sialk hills (located 4 km. West to the city) this area was home to pre-historic man.
Kashan carpet styles have the most curvature in their patterns. They have a single medallion in the center and Persian floral motifs, including arabesques and flower-stems, palmettos, rosettes, blossom and leaf motifs. Kashan carpets also have one of the most dense patterns. The quality of Kashan carpet vary widely. The older (before 1945) pieces are very good but some of the newer ones are not. Some of the newer rugs have a lower KPSI and they are chemically dyed instead of using the traditional vegetable dyes.
Kashan carpets are mostly mid-sized. You can also find large examples up to 18x10 feet. The colors are mostly Ivory, light green and red are predominate. Newer ones have soft green and blue colours. Texture: Soft wool, thin, tight piles. The foundation (warp and weft) of the rugs are cotton, except in very fine pieces - which are pure silk.
Rugs that where made in Kashan feature Persian knots, the weave is fine to exceptionally fine. The number of knots range from around 120 KPSI up to 842 Kpsi.
Qom (Qum / Ghom) carpets are among the finest in the world. Although it does not boast a long and ancient history, Qom, south of Tehran, creates exceptional works of art, frequently entirely in pure silk. The carpet industry of this city is incredibly modern, producing quality which is extraordinary. Prices tend to be very high, reflecting super quality of materials, design and execution . Syles and patterns vary tremendously, as this city usually recreates ancient historical patterns from many other noble sources. Most respected are hunting scenes or other pictorials, not to mention the brilliant medallions and borders of unbelievable finesse.
The city of Qom is considered a sacred place among persians, where many make pilgrimages for inner peace with God. Its weaving industry, started only in the 20th century, has developed an unequalled reputation for spectacular pieces of pure hand-woven silk. Qom has no pattern unique to this city, so its carpets are produced in a variety of beautiful and historic designs, demanding prices in the highest range of all Persian weaving.
Brilliantly detailed medallions, all-over patterns of the greatest intricacy, and breath-taking pictorials and hunting scenes, attest to the craftsmanship of Persia's finest master-weavers. Some pieces of fine wool are also made there. Although signatures are found on fine rugs made elsewhere, the weavers of Qom take such enormous pride in their product that they almost always weave their signatures into a small part of the carpet´s border. Many shapes and sizes are produced, including squares, rectangles, oval or round, and the sizes may vary from a very small rug to a carpet which would suit the grand salon of a palace. The materials used can be wool, silk, or any combination of the two.
