The composition of the rugs also demonstrates Persian tradition. [19] More of these textiles were preserved in Tibetan monasteries, and were removed by monks fleeing to Nepal during the Chinese cultural revolution, or excavated from burial sites like Astana, on the Silk Road near Turfan. Woolen wefts lie hidden in the center of the carpet, making up the first and third weft. The weavers of Tabriz took the opportunity, and around 1885 became the founders of the modern industry of carpet weaving in Persia.[25]. nain qualities Warps and weft are of cotton, the weaving is rather coarse, with high-quality wool. Shiraz is a city in the province of Fars where tribal weavers create Shiraz rugs. nain The rugs are thick enough to endure much abuse and you can rest assured there rarely will be damage or ware. Newer Bijar rugs, sad to say, do not offer this same unique level of cushioning or durability. [33], By the late fifteenth century, the design of the carpets depicted in miniatures changed considerably. Seljuq carpet, 320 by 240 centimetres (126 by 94 inches), from the Aleddin Mosque, Konya, 13th century, Between 1219 and 1221, Persia was raided by the Mongols. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Niche rug with the text of the Ayat al-Kursi, c.1570s central Iran, Khalili Collection of Islamic Art, "Vase technique" carpet, Kirmn, 17th century, Safavid Persian carpet "Mantes carpet" at The Louvre, Detail of a Persian Animal carpet, Safavid period, Persia, 16th century, Museum fr Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg, Detail of a Persian Animal carpet, Safavid period, Persia, 16th century: Lion and Qilin, Museum fr Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg, Iran's territorial integrity was restored by a native Iranian Turkic Afshar warlord from Khorasan, Nader Shah. This diversity promoted the creation of tapestries that reflected the same level of diversity. Abrash is seen in traditionally dyed oriental rugs. Alternate warps are deeply depressed. carpet persian garrus bijar spectacular fabulous early features arabesque The fibers of wool, cotton, and silk are spun either by hand or mechanically by using spinning wheels or industrial spinning machines to produce the yarn. From the mid sixteenth century through the eighteenth century, the city of Kirman was celebrated for 'vase' carpets, a term deriving from the depiction of vase motifs in many examples woven there. On a roller beam loom, any length of carpet can be produced. In 1381, Timur invaded Iran and became the founder of the Timurid Empire. Blessed with an ample supply of very high quality local wool, known as Carmania wool, the craftsmen of Kirman have been weaving their way to the top of the carpet world by virtue of their craftsmanship, wide range of designs, broad palette of available colors, immense tensile strength, abrasion resistance, and expert color combinations. Other designs may include landscapes or depictions of historic events. One basic design may dominate the entire field, or the surface may be covered by a pattern of repeating figures. Thus, the Persian carpet retains its ancient status as an object of luxury, beauty, and art. Small compartment designs of repeating stars are often seen, or lozenge-shaped medallions with anchor-like hooks on both ends. The colors consist of natural vegetable dyes. Safavid carpets were presented as diplomatic gifts to European cities and states, as diplomatic relations intensified. The most popular of flat-weaves is called the Kilim. This authenticity can be sure to over-ride some imperfections in appearance. [29] These fragments at least give us an idea how Seluq carpets may have looked. Silk or cotton makes up the middle weft, which crosses from back to front. Workshops were established in the nineteenth century already around the town of Firuzabad. hutchinson john rugrabbit camels intriguing khamseh persian probably rug including features many south very The type of material used, the method of tying knots and the density of knots per inch, combined with specific design schemes all give a unique cultural fingerprint to each carpet or rug. The Gourde is a symmetrical knot, as opposed to the asymmetrical knot of many traditionally Persian creations. He described that in Timur's palace at Samarkand, "everywhere the floor was covered with carpets and reed mattings". This last Persian dynasty before the arrival of Islam adopted Zoroastrianism as the state religion. They tend to make less use of flat woven kilim ends to finish off the ends of the rug, as compared to tribal rugs. Their rugs have been marketed in Shiraz. The ornaments have to be woven in a way that the pattern continues without interruption around the corners between horizontal and vertical borders. Persian carpets are best classified by the social context of their weavers. As no early Safavid period carpets survived, research has focused on Timurid period book illuminations and miniature paintings. VII.3.18), " ." As unique as their designer, no two Kerman rugs are precisely alike. The predominant pattern used to be the Herati pattern, with a lozenge-shaped central medallion also filled with repeating Herati patterns on a different background colour. Traditional hand woven carpets, made of sheep wool dyed with natural colours are increasingly sought after. The rugs are woven with jewel-toned colors. Antique Malayer rugs are hand-woven however, their level of originality does not end with hand craftsmanship. Initiated in Shiraz during the 1990s by master dyers as Abbas Sayahi,[43] particularly Gabbeh rugs raised much interest when they were first presented at the Great Persian Exhibition in 1992. These antique treasures provide a link to cultural history and artistry by their beauty, design, and originality in weaving technique and materials. This feature is often seen in Kerman rugs from the late nineteenth century, and was likely taken over from French Aubusson or Savonnerie weaving designs. Parts of the medallion, or similar, corresponding designs, are repeated at the four corners of the field. Abrash can also be introduced on purpose into a newly planned carpet design. persian rugs types rug tabriz [49], The Baloch people live in eastern Iran. If the ornaments articulate correctly around the corners, the corners are termed to be "resolved", or "reconciled". area maharaja medallion persian oriental rug carpet traditional Prior to this time, the production of rugs in the region was primarily a village craft, defined by use of simple rectilinear patterns. In Bijar, a nail-like tool is inserted between the warps, and beaten on in order to compact the fabric even more. This style of loom is ideal for nomadic people as it can be assembled or dismantled and is easily transportable. The colours of Bijar rugs are exquisite, with light and dark blues, and saturated to light, pale madder red. The warps on either side of the rug are normally plied into one or more strings of varying thickness that are overcast to form the selvedge. To this day, the term Sultanabad or Ziegler rug denotes an outstanding antique Mahal rug or carpet from the late nineteenth century. Many plants provide yellow dyes, like Vine weld, or Dyer's weed (Reseda luteola), Yellow larkspur, or Dyer's sumach Cotinus coggygria. These rugs were typically created with blue weft thread. For the art of carpet weaving in Persia, this meant, as Edwards wrote: "that in a short time it rose from a cottage mtier to the dignity of a fine art. [34], In contrast to Anatolian rugs, the Persian carpet medaillon represents the primary pattern, and the infinite repeat of the field appears subordinate, creating an impression of the medaillon "floating" on the field.[52]. Silk pile can be used to highlight special elements of the design. 8x10 oriental area rugs rug a100 persian ivory dialog displays option button additional opens zoom [56] Although Kurdish rugs represent a traditional part of Persian rug production, they merit separate consideration. [49], Carpets produced in villages are usually brought to a regional market center, and carry the name of the market center as a label. Elaborate Sasanian silk textiles were well preserved in European churches, where they were used as coverings for relics, and survived in church treasuries. Persia became a part of the Islamic world, ruled by Muslim Caliphates. They weave small-format rugs and a variety of bags with dark red and blue colours, often combined with dark brown and white. persian heriz Weavers trimmed the pile in order to enhance the appearance of the design. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. In 1722, Peter the Great launched the Russo-Persian War (1722-1723), capturing many of Iran's Caucasian territories, including Derbent, Shaki, Baku, but also Gilan, Mazandaran and Astrabad. The centuries-old traditions of nomadic carpet weaving, which had entered a process of decline with the introduction of synthetic dyes and commercial designs in the late nineteenth century, were almost annihilated by the politics of the last Iranian imperial dynasty.[41]. New Bijar carpets are still exported from the area, mostly with less elaborate Herati designs and dyed with good synthetic dyes. Because of the tremendous demand for Kirman rugs, and because of the complex demographics of those generating the demand, a surprising variety of styles and designs were produced. [55] The large population and the wide geographical distribution of the Kurds account for a varied production spanning a spectre from coarse and nave nomadic weavings to the most elaborate town manufacture carpets, finely woven like Senneh, or heavy fabrics like Bijar carpets. Documentation proves that these rugs were produced as early as 1870 and probably earlier. This diversity is seen in the range of motifs which can range from well-known and original Persian motifs to western motifs; striped and repetitive motifs, vase, Toranj (Citron), symmetric, garden, animal shapes, and pictorial rugs. This provides a regular source of income for the carpet weavers. With the death of Ilkhan Abu Said Bahatur in 1335, Mongol rule faltered and Persia fell into political anarchy. Dense floral motifs, drawn with an angular and slightly quirky hand, give them a less feminine floral quality than the antique rugs and carpets from neighboring towns. Bijar rugs cannot be folded without risking to damage the foundation. . [45] Two or more spun yarns may be twisted together or plied to form a thicker yarn. High-quality carpets from Kashan, Qum, Nain, and Isfahan have all-silk piles. Carpets in the Safavid tradition were still woven in Kirmn after the fall of the Safavid dynasty in 1732 (Ferrier, 1989, p.127[38]). The analysis of the corner resolution helps distinguishing rural village, or nomadic, from workshop rugs. Antique Sultanabad rugs are still regarded as the most appealing to European and American tastes. The designs are so similar to period Anatolian carpets, especially to "Holbein carpets" that a common source of the design cannot be excluded: Timurid designs may have survived in both the Persian and Anatolian carpets from the early Safavid, and Ottoman period. By 1736, Nader himself was crowned shah. The revival of carpet weaving, often referring to traditional designs, was an important part of these efforts. In fact, the Persian knotting technique typical of Persian rugs is also referred to as Senneh knots. They are usually sold at higher prices due to the large amount of manual work associated with their production, which has, essentially, not changed since ancient times, and due to the artistic value of their design. In the central medallion, pairs of human figures in smaller medallions surround a central animal combat scene. For the more restrained Western taste, traditional designs were recolored to be more subtle and obliging. The field of a rug may also be broken up into different rectangular, square, diamond or lozenge shaped compartments, which in turn can be arranged in rows, or diagonally. These rugs are the thinnest of Persian rugs, often with a single layer. Karim Khan Zand appointed the chief of the Chahilu clan as the first Il-Khan of the Qashqai. Mahmud proclaimed himself 'Shah' of Persia. Frequently the design is more rectilinear, but Bijar rugs are more easily identified by their peculiar, stiff and heavy weaving than by any design. These rugs display uniqueness in the broad range of designs and choice of colors and have a diversity of design and color that is somewhat atypical for other styles of Persian rugs. After the Iranian Revolution, little information could at first be obtained about carpet weaving in Iran. Xenophon describes Persian carpets as precious, and worthy to be used as diplomatic gifts. rugsindallas Sometimes, as in the case of the "Serapi" rug, the name of the village serves as a label for a special quality. These Persian tapestries are some of the most beautiful in existence, and they are also one of the easiest types to identify. It is unknown whether these were flatweaves or pile weaves, as no detailed technical information is provided in the Greek and Latin texts. The main draw to this type of Persian rug is the absence of factory creation. They traditionally have had a higher knot count. [Source: Marika Sardar, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, Metropolitan Museum of Art \^/], According to Doris Leslie Blau: The Golden Age of Persian carpet weaving occurred during the Safavid dynasty, when Shah Tahmasp (1524-1587) began establishing court factories for carpet production. In the commercial production of today, the Gabbeh rug patterns remain simple, but tend to show more modern types of design.[44]. Most of the designs in antique Hamadan rugs are geometric, mostly angular however, some rugs feature curvilinear designs and arabesques. Antique Senneh rugs have a lengthy history. [27][28] More fragments were found in Fostat, today a suburb of the city of Cairo. These paintings depict colourful carpets with repeating designs of equal-scale geometric patterns, arranged in checkerboard-like designs, with "kufic" border ornaments derived from Islamic calligraphy. Qashqai rugs use asymmetric knots, while Gabbeh rugs woven by Qashqai more often use symmetric knots. Among these fragments, some show depictions of animals, like various stags (sometimes arranged in a procession, recalling the design of the Pazyryk carpet) or a winged mythical creature. Five tribal groups of Arab, Persian and Turkic origin were combined, including the Arab tribe, the Basseri, Baharlu, Ainalu, and Nafar tribes. Shah Ismail I, its founder, was related to Uzun Hassan. Alternate warps are moderately to deeply depressed. This marks the first time when the "classical" design of Islamic rugs was established: The medaillon and corner design (pers. Camel wool is occasionally used in Persian nomadic rugs. Because the exact hue of colour is rarely met again when a new batch is dyed, the colour of the pile changes when a new row of knots is woven in. Haji Jalili, master weaver of the Qajar era is renowned for producing some of the most superlative oriental Tabriz rugs. They speak a Turkic dialect similar to that of Azerbaijan, and may have migrated to the Fars province from the north during the thirteenth century, possibly driven by the Mongol invasion. [1] In this use, Gelim includes both pile rugs and flat weaves (such as kilim and soumak). Another interesting aspect that may indicate the cultural influence of refugees includes the knotting used in the weaving. Additionally, antique Malayer rugs regularly enjoy a low cut pile. When the rug is completed, the warp ends form the fringes that may be weft-faced, braided, tasseled, or secured in other ways. A characteristic "tram line" effect is evoked by the third weft when the carpet is worn . This fact enhances the artistry and uniqueness of each antique Shiraz rug. Carpets woven in towns and regional centers like Tabriz, Kerman, Ravar, Neyshabour, Mashhad, Kashan, Isfahan, Nain and Qom are characterized by their specific weaving techniques and use of high-quality materials, colours and patterns. Town manufactories like those of Tabriz have played an important historical role in reviving the tradition of carpet weaving after periods of decline. Village rugs are less likely to present depressed warps, as compared to manufactory rugs. In the early nineteenth century, some of the Bakhtiari leaders settled in the Chahar Mahal region, where their relative wealth gave them the status of 'gentry' thus the Bakhtiari name was appended to the region and its substantial carpet and rug production. Rugs from Seraband, Hamadan, and Fars sometimes show the boteh in an all-over pattern. Unable to migrate, having lost their herds, many nomadic families starved to death. Thin, tight piling creates the rug. The color and design are also incredibly unique, and the weaving technique is unusual for Persian rugs. The weaving technique used for antique Shiraz rugs is the asymmetrical Persian knot, and the knots per square inch vary from 100-300. They use a variety of designs associated with the Qashqai tradition, but it is rarely possible to attribute a specific rug to a specific tribal tradition. [18], Flat weaving and embroidery were known during the Sasanian period. Yarns are characterized as S-twist or Z-twist according to the direction of spinning (see diagram). ~, According to Doris Leslie Blau: Sarouk rugs derive their name from a village found twenty miles north of Arak, Iran. The Egyptian findings also provide evidence for export trade. Marika Sardar of New York University wrote: In Iran, the carpet and textile industries formed part of Shah Abbas (r. 15871629) program for restructuring the economy and attracting European merchants to the country. Wefts are in natural colours or dyed red. Especially larger carpets are more likely to lie flat on the floor, whereas wool tends to shrink unevenly, and carpets with a woolen foundation may buckle when wet. ~, The Feraghan district located south of Tehran, encompassed the cities of Arak, Qum and Kashan, an area with a long and illustrious history of rug and carpet weaving. With their coarsely finished animal and hunting depictions, these carpets were likely woven by nomadic people.[24]. Usually, there is only one border. Persian carpet designs can be divided into two main categories - city (formal) rugs, which were made in workshops, are known for their finely-woven and often intricate designs, and village rugs (informal), which are widely varied in their unique blends of city and nomadic motifs and techniques. It features intricate motifs of lions on the hunt. In areas with traditional, time-honoured local designs, such as the Persian nomad tribes, the weaver is able to work from memory, as the specific patterns are part of the family or tribal tradition. Traditional dyes used in Persian rugs are obtained from plants and insects. Persian rugs and carpets of various types were woven in parallel by nomadic tribes in village and town workshops, and by royal court manufactories alike. Since the codification of the Quran by Uthman Ibn Affan in 651 AD/19 AH and the Umayyad Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan reforms, Islamic art has focused on writing and ornament. Created by hand, these rugs exemplify tapestry as artistic artifacts. Similar threads which pass under and over the warps from one side to the other are called wefts. hamedan Designs have changed little through centuries of weaving. A tendency of integrating regional traditions of the surrounding areas, like Anatolian or northwestern Persian designs was observed, which sometimes show distinct, unusual design variations leading to suggest a Kurdish production from within the adjacent areas. The medallion-and-corner design is similar to other 16th century Safavid carpets, but the colours and style of drawing are distinct. [17] A Turkish carpet pattern depicted on Jan van Eyck's "Paele Madonna" painting was traced back to late Roman origins and related to early Islamic floor mosaics found in the Umayyad palace of Khirbat al-Mafjar. The pile is closely clipped, and the foundation is cotton, also silk was used in antique carpets. More realistic floral patterns are also seen, probably in rugs woven for export to Europe.[44]. The coloring of these rugs includes deep blue, deep red, off-white, and soft neutral tones. The weaver weaves a knot for each square on the scale paper, which allows for an accurate rendition of even the most complex designs. To the east of the Zagros range is Chahar Mahal, the area where the bulk of antique Persian Bakhtiar rugs and carpets were produced. Nomadic and small village weavers often produce rugs with bolder and sometimes more coarse designs, which are considered as the most authentic and traditional rugs of Persia, as opposed to the artistic, pre-planned designs of the larger workplaces. Together, these two towns and their surrounding areas have been major centers of rug production since the eighteenth century. The weft is woven between the warp until a new colour is needed, it is then looped back and knotted before a new colour is implemented. Newer, high-quality Tehran rugs are generally only produced in very small numbers by master-weavers. Today computers are used in the production of scale drawings for the weavers. Western Persian centers such as Malayer and Senneh developed a reputation for complicated repeats of floral boteh while the finest traditional antique rugs of the nineteenth century were woven in the sophisticated city workshops of Kashan, Malayer and Senneh. The rugs produced here are still known, also in the Iran of today, under their trade name "Senneh". In the 1970s and 1980s, a new interest arose in Europe in Gabbeh rugs, which were initially woven by nomadic tribes for their own use. In the late 1800s, the art of Persian weaving experienced a revival of popularity, and Tehran became the locus for Persian rug production. rugrabbit hutchinson john khamseh camels persian intriguing probably rug including features many south very Antique Qum Rugs may not necessarily be as old as expected. Silk pile is less resistant to mechanical stress, thus, all-silk piles are often used as wall hangings, or pillows. The history of the city may even be traced to the Biblical story of Esther. [44] A serviceable carpet can be made with jufti knots, and jufti knots are sometimes used in large single-colour areas of a rug, for example in the field, to save on material. The common Persian "Lechek Tornj" (medaillon and corner) design was developed in Persia for book covers and ornamental book illuminations in the fifteenth century. Fragments of woven carpets were found in the Aleddin Mosque in the Turkish town of Konya and the Erefolu Mosque in Beyehir, and were dated to the Anatolian Seljuq Period (12431302). [49], Criteria suggesting village production include:[58], Village rugs are more apt to have warps of wool rather than of cotton. Rather than two or three colors within the design of a rug, antique Malayer rugs generally contain a deep blue background with the design created by multiple colors including sage green, red, light blue, pinkish brown, gold, tan, and brownish red. Cotton can be spun more tightly than wool, and tolerates more tension, which makes cotton a superior material for the foundation of a rug. The tradition of natural dyeing was revived in Turkey in the early 1980s. Antique Hamadan rugs come from the area around this city. As a result of political unrest or commercial pressure, carpet weaving has gone through periods of decline throughout the decades. In October 2006, National Iranian Carpet Center revealed that hand-woven carpets have ranked first in country's non-oil exports and hold the third position among overall exports. The phenomenon that the first carpets physically known to us show such accomplished designs leads to the assumption that the art and craft of carpet weaving must already have existed for some time before the magnificent Safavid court carpets could have been woven. Finally, a Ghilzai Pashtun chieftain named Mir Wais Khan began a rebellion in Kandahar and defeated the Safavid army under the Iranian Georgian governor over the region, Gurgin Khan. The high artistic level reached by Persian weavers is further exemplified by the report of the historian Al-Tabari about the Spring of Khosrow carpet, taken as booty by the Arabian conquerors of Ctesiphon in 637 AD. How Safavid manufacturers achieved this, technically, is currently unknown. As such, the colour variation suggests a village or tribal woven rug, and is appreciated as a sign of quality and authenticity. It's a true work of art.

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