Under the Ottoman Turkish Empire in the sixteenth century, a new style of carpet production emerged in Cairo under carefully controlled court patronage. Closely related to classical Persian models, such ‘Cairene’ carpets display sinuous curvilinear designs of arabesque vinescrolls and palmettes organized in a medallion format. The coloration of antique Cairene rugs tends to be subdued in tone and range, allowing attention to focus on the grace and delicacy of the details.