Lion Rug of Fars
153 x 122 cm

The Lion Rug of Fars is one of the most powerfully symbolic textiles of Persia, a woven emblem of courage, purity, and guardianship. At The Rug Shop, we are proud to present these rare works online, preserving and sharing their deep heritage with a new generation of collectors and admirers. To own a Lion Rug of Fars is to hold a story woven in wool, a tale that stretches back centuries to the heart of Persia.

In Fars Province, where these rugs were born, the lion has long stood as the supreme emblem of strength and nobility. It was not merely decoration but a protector of the tribe, a symbol placed in the tent of a Khan to remind his people of bravery, purity, and guardianship. Such a rug announced leadership and command, yet also spoke of spiritual courage—the inner lion that protects the soul.

By the twelfth century, Fars was known as the “lion mine” of Persia, a place where wild lions roamed and where the symbol was revered. The Lion Rug of Fars carried this legacy, embedding into wool the eternal presence of an animal that shaped the very identity of the land.

What makes the Lion Rug of Fars remarkable is the fact that many of its weavers had never seen a lion. These were village women, seated at simple looms, translating not zoological accuracy but stories and legends into pattern. Their lions sometimes stand tall, sometimes squat, sometimes smiling, sometimes fierce. This is artistic free weaving, straight from the imagination, the lion shaped by myth, memory, and oral tale rather than natural study.

This quality gives the Lion Rug of Fars its unique vitality. Each rug is more than an imitation of nature—it is the mind’s rendering of bravery and purity, a folk artist’s unbounded creation, turning simple wool into a timeless guardian spirit.

The patterns on a Lion Rug of Fars are as striking as the image itself. Bold fields of red, blue, or ivory often serve as the backdrop, with the lion standing at the center like a sovereign presence. Around it, floral or geometric motifs frame the guardian figure, balancing strength with beauty.

In every rug, symmetry and repetition reveal the mathematical genius of Persian weaving. The balance of form and proportion is not accidental—it reflects centuries of cultural refinement where geometry was considered a mirror of universal truth. Within these rugs, mathematics becomes poetry, and pattern becomes protection.

The Lion Rug of Fars is handmade using natural wool, often dyed with deep reds, earthy browns, or indigo blues. The process of weaving is slow and meditative, requiring patience and devotion. Each knot holds intention. The final rug carries not only an image of a lion but also the hands, stories, and spirit of the woman who wove it.

Unlike modern reproductions, the Lion Rug of Fars is entirely authentic—woven with heart and history, never mass-produced. Its very irregularities, whether in line, symmetry, or drawing, become the charm that distinguishes the genuine article from imitation.

At The Rug Shop, we carefully source every Lion Rug of Fars directly from families in Persia who have preserved them for generations. Many of these rugs were kept as family treasures, brought out for special occasions, or safeguarded as symbols of pride. Today, they have become harder to find, which makes each piece not only a rug but also a rare cultural document.

When you acquire a Lion Rug of Fars from The Rug Shop, you are welcoming into your home more than an object—you are bringing in a guardian, a woven testament of Persian bravery, and a piece of art that carries centuries of storytelling.

The Lion Rug of Fars remains one of the most captivating tribal weavings of Persia. It represents a unique meeting of history and imagination, a time when myth took form in thread and became the protector of tribes and families.

To this day, the Lion Rug of Fars stands apart. Its image may be playful or stern, its proportions sometimes exaggerated or symbolic, yet its meaning is clear and unshakable: strength, purity, and the eternal courage of the Persian spirit.

Lion Rug of Fars – The Rug Shop