Shiraz

No cartoons here. Fars tribal weavers work from memory and improvisation, which is why no two pieces agree — birds and beasts wander into lozenge fields, borders change their mind midway.

Woven on wool foundations with glossy, hand-spun highland fleece, these carpets age into deep polish. Qashqa'i work in particular carries saturated madder and indigo that natural light turns luminous.