One of the oldest centres for the production of genuine Persian carpets is the Iranian city of Tabriz, near the border with Azerbaijan. Carpets have been made here since the early Middle Ages. The dominant colour of Tabriz carpets is cream, red or dark blue. The design is inspired by the works of oriental poets and writers, and the carpets often depict scenes of falconry or images of wild lions. Tabriz carpet paintings are also known to include fragments of palaces and mosques or scenes from battles. One of the oldest carpet compositions is the symbol of the moon in the centre of the carpet, while the jagged leaves on the edge are symbols of the scales of fish that rise to the surface at midnight to admire the reflection of the moon on the water's surface. The art of carpet-weaving was at its height from the 12th to the 16th century, before declining. A renaissance came in the 19th century when some of the most famous carpet manufacturers settled in Tabriz and sales to Europe increased. Today, around 120 000 people are involved in the production of Tabriz carpets. Unlike in other regions, the local carpets have always been knotted mainly by men, and the centres of production have been manufactories, urban households and village houses.