A
Persian carpet (,
farsh, meaning "to spread"; sometimes
qali) is a heavy textile, made for a wide variety of utilitarian and symbolic purpose, produced in
Iran and surrounding areas which once belonged to the
Persian Empire, for home use, local sale, and export. Carpet weaving is an essential part of
Persian culture and
art. Within the group of
Oriental rugs or Islamic carpets produced by the countries of the so-called
"rug belt", the Persian carpet stands out by the variety and elaborateness of its manifold designs.