Iranian carpet

Iranian carpet is a symbol of art, genius, culture and authenticity. Iranians have been one of the pioneers of carpet weaving, who over time have brought this art to a level of perfection with precision, creativity, and taste, which can be referred to as the representative of Iranian culture and art. The first documentary evidence about Iranian art in carpet weaving can be found in Chinese texts related toThe Sassanians(224-641 AD) searched.

It should not be forgotten that often the materials used in carpets, such as wool, silk, cotton, etc., rot over time, and this problem makes it difficult for archaeologists and historians to introduce the age of the carpet. However, historical evidence and documents indicate the existence of magnificent carpets in the Achaemenid court; As it is said, Alexander the Great was surprised and delighted when he saw the magnificent Iranian carpets in Pasargad. In the age ofSeljuk dynastyAnd Ilkhanian carpet weaving has been popular as a valuable art and a profitable business; As it is said that the mosques of that period were covered with precious Iranian carpets. Many historical quotes prove the antiquity and originality of this historical art. For example, there are quotes from Xenophon that:

In the Achaemenid court, there were wide carpets that were replaced every once in a while due to decay and replaced by other carpets.

The European archaeologist, Keeth Crosha, also wrote about this:

In the history of ancient Iran, we come to a period in whichPersepolis It is set on fire by Alexandrian and the luxurious and magnificent Achaemenian carpets are bued in the fire.

Rudenko also wrote about this:

Alexander spread finely woven but thick carpets in front of his royal throne.

Pazyrik carpet

 The oldest carpet in the world is called Pazyryk carpet , which  was discovered by a Russian archaeologist in the frozen grave of one of the Scythian rulers in the years 1326 to 1328 . Besides this carpet, there were other ancient objects. This rug is made of wool and has a square shape, each side of which is 1.98 meters long.  

The Pazyryk carpet is decorated with a floral border and images of horsemen, grazing  deer and mythical beasts with the head of an eagle and the body of a lion . Sergi Rudenko, the discoverer of this carpet,  after examining the structure of the carpet and its paintings, noticed the great similarity of the motifs of this carpet with the reliefs of  Persepolis  . Although  most researchers consider this carpet to belong to the period of  the Parthians  or  the Medes  , there are still different theories about the actual age of this carpet. Today, the Pazyryk carpet is kept in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.     

Authentic Iranian carpets

Gob A choice for fans of natural fibers

Gebe is one of the types of hand-woven Iranian carpets, which are usually thicker and coarser than other Iranian carpets. One of the characteristics that distinguish this type of carpet from other types of carpets is that natural wool ya and natural plant colors are used for the texture of the rug.

rug; A special choice

A rug is a type of hand-woven and lint-free rug that is often woven with natural wool. Geometric designs such as rhombuses, hexagons, quadrangles, and triangles are often used in the texture of these sub-sizes, and sometimes natural and animal shapes are also used in the depiction of rugs. Pulling skeins, tying koji wood, fixing skeins and chain weaving are among the stages of carpet weaving. In terms of texture, carpets can be divided into three simple categories: woven, embossed and vaished.

Jajim Original handwoven

Jajim are known as flat braids that are woven long and short in width. Jajim is a thin weave with more softness than the carpet. Jajim is woven in different regions and the residents of each region give it a special name. For example, Jajim is called "Jol" in Ilam.

Carpets of the northe areas of Iran; Carpets with special design

Rudbar, Klardasht and Bandar Turkmen are among the areas that are famous for weaving carpets with triangular patte. Dark red color is dominant in most Turkmen carpets.

Tabriz carpet; One of the best Iranian carpets

The history of woven carpets in Tabriz dates back to the Safavid period, and among the most finely woven Iranian carpets, woven carpetsTabrizare. The raw material of Tabriz carpet is usually silk or wool. Among the characteristics of Tabriz carpet, the following can be mentioned: 

• The woven carpets of this line are finely woven.
• They are often woven in high rows.
• The pile of Tabriz woven carpets is often short.

Visually speaking, these carpets have depth, which is due to the use of light shadow technique in the texture of the carpets.

Kashan carpet

The height of the bed in Kashan woven carpets is average, and the carpets of this region are mostly finely woven and delicate. Previously, the colors of the carpets of this area were formed by sharp colors with high contrast; But nowadays, according to the customer's taste and the taste of the market, soft colors are used in the texture of the carpets of this region. Common roles of carpets and rugsKashanThey are mainly a combination of decorative pattes. The colors in Kashan rugs and carpets can be limited to ivory, gray, brown and tobacco colors.

Qom carpet; A weave of elegance

The carpet weaving industry was first popular among the nomads and villagers of Qom; But gradually, due to the importance of this industry in trade, it became popular among other parts of this province as well. At first, Qom woven carpets entered the market with not very fine threads, but gradually, Qom artists with their ingenuity and taste began to weave very fine and regular carpets. The elegance and regularity of Qom's hand-woven carpets is such that it makes the viewer doubt that these carpets are machine-woven.

The common designs of Qom carpets can be considered as Shah Abbasi's tanraj, mahramat, mihrabi and shikargah. The colors used in Qom woven carpets were initially limited to four to 6 colors, and over time, the range of colors used increased and now more than 40 different and distinct colors are used in the carpets of this region. The most popular hand-woven Iranian carpets are considered to belong to the cities of Tabriz, Kashan and Qom; However, your personal criteria also determine which type of carpet is best for you according to the characteristics of the carpets and your taste.

Persian carpet pattes 

 If we want to provide a complete classification of Iranian carpets, we can refer to the following classification:

• Designs of ancient and Islamic works
• Shah Abbasi's designs
• Arabesque designs
• Adapted designs
• Layout plans
• Spray designs
• The designs of Bate Jaghe
• Turkmen designs
• Tree designs
• Flower designs
• Hunting plans sometimes
• Clay designs
• Fish designs
• Vase designs
• Geometric designs
• Privacy plans
• Altar designs
• Consolidated plans
• Nomadic designs

Iranian carpet symbols

Knowledge of Iranian carpet symbols can bring a clearer understanding of this art to the audience. In the following, we introduce some of the most frequent symbols in Iranian carpets.

• The image of Gol Teke in the shape of an octagon close to an oval, which expresses the courage and tenacity of the people who live in the mountains. This symbol originally means mountain goat.
• In the east, the diamond patte represents religion and is woven with rays drawn outwards in the drawing.
• Qaghag design also means ram and it is woven in two ways, all the limbs and hos of the ram. These three pattes are often drawn in Turkmen carpets and are very important to Turkmen weavers.
• Bird patte is one of the most frequent and popular pattes among weavers and audiences. In addition to the fact that the bird has a significant place in Iranian art, it is also highly regarded in literature. Simorgh drawing in Iranian carpets, which has a message, gives the carpets a special appearance and meaning. Of course, it should not be forgotten that this image is completely different from the image of a chicken and a tree (two chickens sitting on a tree branch). In this painting, the tree is interpreted as life. In this painting, the chickens are often sitting facing each other and in some cases back to back.

The image of the boulevard tree is one of the exclusive pattes of Shiraz city, which, of course, has been noticed and used in other regions of Iran in recent years. Bolvardi village is located in the foothills of the north-weste part of Shiraz city. This sign represents strength, standing, shade and humility.

The swastika symbol is one of the oldest Iranian signs, which is also called the Aryan sun, in Iran it means happiness. This symbol had bent and curved arms before the Achaemenid period; But gradually its lines and geometric shapes changed. Some experts consider the Aryan sun symbol as the origin and example of many other designs and symbols. iran handicrafts

The best Iranian carpets 

The answer to the question of the best Iranian carpets for which city largely depends on your own criteria in choosing a carpet. Iranians have long displayed their skill, art, taste and ingenuity in carpet weaving and carpet weaving. Meanwhile, the art of carpet weaving is more famous in some areas than in other areas. From the texts and documents, it can be concluded that the villagers and nomads were the pioneers of carpet weaving and carpet weaving in Iran, and this art has gradually gained the attention of other classes. In general, the carpets of Tabriz, Qom, Kashan and the northe regions of Iran are considered the most popular Iranian carpets. Note that apart from personal criteria for choosing and buying carpets, it is better to keep the following things in mind:

1. sleep type

One of the important factors in choosing a carpet and determining its quality. If you intend to buy machine-made carpets, pay attention to the smell of the carpet, the transparency of the colors, and the level of adhesion. If the carpet you choose does not smell of plastic material, its material is such that your hand can easily slide on it when you touch it, and its color and pattes are transparent, it can be said that you have made the right choice and your carpet is made of acrylic. Acrylic carpets are more resistant to environmental factors.

2. The number of longitudinal and transverse nodes

Pay attention to the number of longitudinal and transverse knots! One of the important factors in choosing the right carpet is its density. The transverse density of the carpet is obtained by counting the knots in the width of the carpet, and the longitudinal density is obtained by counting the knots in the length; But if your question is how the number of knots is related to the quality of the carpet, we must say that the higher the density of your carpet, the more compact the texture and therefore the stronger it is.

3. Serial number, warranty and warranty

When buying carpets, especially machine-made carpets, be sure to pay attention to the series, valid carpet warranty and warranty. Paying attention to this issue can save you from the trap of profiteers who offer low-quality carpets instead of genuine carpets.

4. Carpet size

Pay attention to the size of handmade carpets; This does not mean that you should be overly sensitive; Because in natural carpets, the size difference of a few centimeters is normal and can be overlooked; But a size difference of more than a few centimeters is considered a defect in carpets. Therefore, we recommend that you ensure the symmetry of the carpet by folding the carpet and matching its edges when buying handmade carpets.

5. Carpet piles

Carpet piles are an important factor in carpet quality. To check the piles of the carpet, pay attention to their softness and roughness. In addition to the fact that soft bristles do not clean as well as coarse bristles, they are also less durable.

6. behind the carpet

Don't just look at the carpet! A key issue that may be overlooked when buying a rug is checking the back of the rug. If a carpet is rotten or faded, it is certainly worth less. Take a look at the back of the rug to check this out. The folded parts on the back of the carpet show themselves with symptoms like needle corrosion and when folded, they have a slight sound similar to the sound of breaking.

The price of Iranian carpets

The price of the carpet varies according to many factors, some of which are mentioned below.

The first effective factor in the difference in carpet prices is whether the carpets are hand-woven or machine-made. Handwoven carpets are among the oldest and most original carpets and have more material and spiritual value. Often, you have to spend more money to buy hand-woven carpets than machine-made carpets. In addition, the raw materials for carpet weaving are wool, silk, and cotton, which can be made with a combination of these materials. However, in machine-made carpets, some plastic materials may also be added to the raw materials in order to adjust the price. Also, the lower the percentage of acrylic fibers, the lower the quality and price of the carpet.

The hybridity of the carpet or the slight difference in color and shades in parts of the carpet is one of the factors that reduce the value and price of carpets, especially handwoven carpets.

The breakage of the carpet flower or the lack of size of the carpet flower determines the price of the carpet to a large extent. Of course, diagnosing this case requires a lot of experience and expertise.

Some consider the design and patte of the carpet to be an important factor in determining the price; In other words, there is a belief that the more complex the design and map of the carpet, the higher its price value.

How do they determine the life of the carpet?

There are fixed and specific criteria to determine the age and life of hand-woven carpets, for example, the term "new carpet" is used for carpets that have been woven in the last five years. Carpets that have been woven in the past 5 to 25 years are so-called "old". The term "semi-antique" carpet is used for carpets that were woven between 25 and 60 years ago, and "antique" carpet refers to carpets that were woven between 60 and 250 years ago.

Correct ways to maintain carpets

To prevent premature wear of the carpet and increase its durability, pay attention to the following:

• Do not expose the carpet to direct sunlight, no matter how high-quality and original the raw materials of the carpet are, they lose their resistance against natural factors such as direct sunlight, wind and water.
• Do not always place the carpets in the same direction; Because they are exposed to wear.
• Sweep the carpets in the direction they sleep.
• Do not fold rugs to move them; Because this work increases the possibility of breaking the carpet; Pipe the carpet instead.

You can also share your experiences in the field of buying carpets or your information about this Iranian art with us and other userswhereshare it.