QOM (QUM) is located in central Iran, about 100 km south of Tehran, near Dasht-e-Kavir, a large salt desert to the east. There are tombs of many kings from the Safavid Dynasty. The city became a safe haven for Shia Muslims who were opposed to the rule of the Ummayid and Abbassid caliphs. Second in historical significance only to the arrival of Shiite Islam and its acceptance by the inhabitants of Qom was the arrival of Hazrat Massoumeh, the sister of Imam Reza, the eighth Imam of the Household of the Prophet Mohammed. The name of her eminence was Fatima and her title was Massoumeh, which had been granted to her by her brother, Imam Reza. The major industrial activities in the textile sector are related to the production of carpets. Qom has a history of rug weaving since the 1930's. Famous designers include Rastehzadeh, Arsalani, and Ahmad Archang. Qom (Qum) rugs and carpets have an excellent visage. The majority are small (Ghaliche), very fine, and beautiful, so many people hang them on the wall. The patterns are adopted from areas other than Qom and are usually highly curvlinear (city style), but they sometimes can depict landscape features or historical stories. The quality of Qom (Qum) rugs and carpets varies. Newer ones are much better in quality and pattern. Most high quality Qom (Qum) rugs and carpets are made of pure silk with very high KPSI and are among the finest looking rugs in Iran and the world. The majority of Qom (Qum) rugs and carpets are small to mid-sized 3x5 to 5x7 feet. Qom (Qum) rugs and carpets come in a variety of colors, but red, blue, and ivory are very common. They are usually made of a soft silk; very thin pile; kork wool. The warps are mostly cotton; wefts are either silk, cotton, or wool. Weavers in Qom (Qum) use Persian knots. Qom(Qum) rugs are among the finest rugs in the world. The quality of Qom(Qum) rugs is particularly high. These carpets are in high demand, so they are more costly then some other carpets. In summation, Qom pieces exceed ones expectations on a quality rug and go beyond normal elegance.