Qum (Qom, also Ghom) is a city in central Persia, about 130 km south of the capital Tehran at about 1000 m altitude. The city is known as the seat of the Islamic theological college and as a place of pilgrimage. The sister of the eighth Imam (Fatima Musa ar-Rida / Imam Reza), Fatima bint Musa, died in Ghom in 817 and was buried there. After 1600, a gold-colored dome, which is one of the landmarks of Qum, was built above the tomb.
Qum is not a city with very old knotted tradition. In the 1930s, carpet producers from the nearby town of Kashan began to buildset up a production in Qum. Due to the increased global demand for persian carpets, the existing centers of rug making could no longer produce adequately. Consequently, new production facilities were established. Initially, Kashan motifs were mainly imitated. But soon the knotters began to produce all kinds of designs. Caucasian graphic motifs such as Shirvan, Kazak or Seichur were also popular designs in Qum. In the 1960s a new style developed.
To this day, design elements from Kashan are to be found, especially in the borders or in the way certain flowers are knotted. But nevertheless carpets from Qum today have a distinctive appearance. Typical is a lush floral pattern, often in medallion design.
Most carpets are knotted in sizes 90 x 60 cm (3 x 2 ft), 130 x 80 cm (4 x 3 ft), 150 x 100 cm (5 x 3 ft), 200 x 130 cm (7 x 5 ft) as well as runners and gallery sizes. Pieces in the formats 300 x 200 cm (10 x 7 ft), 350 x 250 cm 9 x 12 ft), 400 x 300 cm (10 x 13 ft) are also knotted as silk carpets, but due to manufacturing times of a few years these oversizes are rarer and often also very high-priced.
Designs: Floral, usually with medallion. Very detailed work. Also common patterns are prayer rugs with a dome and life tree, hunting motifs, figural carpets and pictures.
Qum silk carpets are among the finest and most filigree knotted works ever. Due to the use of thin, tear-resistant silk threads as a calf material, particularly small knots can be knotted. This makes very complex motifs possible.
