The Bownat is an Arabic branch of the Qashqai tribe. This tribe is one of the largest tribes of Persia and consists of nomads and settled villagers.

The Bownat are mostly shepherds and this gives them access to strong, high quality wool. As with all nomadic weaves, Bownat rugs are woven on a woollen warp and weft (i.e. the carpet has a woollen fringe), they are woven by women and are woven on a flat portable loom. The chunky woollen pile is formed by asymmetrical (or Persian) knots, employing a double-weft construction (i.e. there are two wefts between each row of knots) and it is this structure that creates a more ridged and durable rug. The portable loom limits the size of these rugs to a maximum size of around 3.00x2.00m.

Bownats are always geometric in design, often with three central medallions that are linked together with animal and plant motifs scattered in the field surrounding the medallions. Traditional colours are predominantly red, terracotta or brown, with secondary colours of blue, cream and occasionally green. Due to the fact that the tribe is still mostly nomadic, a higher proportion of natural dyes are used in these rugs than in village manufactures.

Persian Bownat Carpet 2.44x1.84m