Lion Wedding Rug

Each Zollanvari rug is a single, handcrafted piece · once it leaves the loom and finds a home, it leaves the collection.

The Lion Wedding Rug was traditionally woven alone by a woman as her answer to a marriage proposal. Usually small, it was given as a token. The lion's tail woven upwards meant yes, and downwards meant no. The rug would then be placed by the door of the man's nomadic black tent, quietly telling the village and its guests whether he was engaged or still available. The lion became a symbol of marriage, strength and protection. Remarkably, many of the women who wove these lions had never seen one. Passed down through generations of stories, the lion was created from imagination. This explains the almost human faces, expressive eyes and smiles found in many examples. Today these intimate rugs are highly sought-after collectibles.