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Persia has
had a long history of monarchic rule.
Persian dynasties at times ruled of
parts of three continents and at other
times were invaded, conquered, and
governed by outsiders. Persian history
begins approximately 6000 years ago with
the Elamites, whose central city was
Susa, or Shush, located in the
Southwestern part of the country. The
city stood for five thousand years until
it was destroyed by Mongols in the 13th
century.
As a matter of fact, with the passage of
time, the materials used in carpets
including wool and cotton decay.
Therefore, the archaeologists are not
able to make any particularly useful
discoveries during their archaeological
excavations. What has remained from
early times as evidence of
carpet-weaving is nothing more than a
few pieces of worn-out rugs. And such
fragments do not help very much in
recognizing the carpet-weaving
characteristics of pre-Seljuk period
(13th and 14th centuries AD) in Persia.
Dating back to the third and fifth
centuries AD, the oldest pieces
discovered are those found in Eastern
Turkestan and also some of the
hand-weavings of the Seljuks of Asia
Minor on exhibit in Ala’edin Mosque in
Konya and Ashrafoghlu Mosque in
Beyshehir, Turkey. These pieces
attracted the attention of researchers
for centuries and now they are kept in
the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art in
Istanbul and the Mowlana Museum in Konya.
In a unique archaeological excavation in
1949, however, the exceptional Pazyryk
carpet was discovered among the ices of
Pazyryk Valley, in Altai Mountains in
Siberia. It was discovered in the grave
of a Scythian prince by a group of
Russian archaeologists under the
supervision of Sergei Ivanovich Rudenko.
Radiocarbon testing revealed that
Pazyryk carpet was woven in the 5th
century BC. This carpet is 1.83×2 meters
and has 36 symmetrical knots per cm².
The advanced weaving technique used in
the Pazyryk carpet indicates a long
history of evolution and experience in
this art. Most experts believe that the
Pazyryk carpet is a late achievement of
at least one thousand years of technique
evolution and history. According to this
theory, the art of carpet-weaving in
Iran is at least 3500 years old.
Persian carpets are held to be “the
carpet” par excellence. In reality, they
share their central role in the
stylistic and historical development of
the hand-knotted carpet with their
Anatolian rivals and counterparts. The
expression of an art and a social
tradition more than of a religious
belief, Persian carpets are
distinguished by their extremely complex
and calligraphic nature with the main
emphasis on design and line. Persian
weavers have explored the geometric
style in the form of abstract or
stylized figures in the field, but it is
the curvilinear style that has proved
the most successful, since it offers the
more suitable means of interpreting the
particularly poetic and naturalistic
spirit of the region.
These carpets also include realistically
portrayed flowers and animals since the
Shiite branch of Islam which is the
dominant sect in Persia. Wide varieties
of colours are used in each carpet that
never garish and clash.The dyes used to
create the colouring are all from
plants, roots and other natural
substances. Subtle variations in the
same colour sometimes occur,
particularly in older carpets or those
woven by nomadic tribes. Persian carpets
are traditionally known for their
tremendous variety in design, colour,
size, and weave. Moreover, they are
known for the uniqueness of each and
every rug produced.
Persians herded goats and sheep and
would have had high quality wool for the
purpose of carpet making. Silk and
cotton are materials that have been
incorporated in subsequent years. The
popularity of carpet making waxed and
waned during the many dynasties, and the
last quarter of the 19th century saw a
rise that has lasted until current day.
Traditionally, Persian carpets are made
by hand, but in the interest of business
sometimes today these carpets are made
by machine. Natural dyes create
extremely vivid colors. Designs are
often geometric and sometimes symbolic.
There are many stores in Albuquerque
where Persian rugs can be purchased but,
as of this writing, there are no Persian
carpet makers here.
Cyrus and the Achaemenian dynasty
It is possible that the Persian nomads
knew the use of the knotted carpet even
before the time of Cyrus. At that period
a true craft did not exist and the
function of the carpet was more
practical than artistic.
At the time of the conquest of Sardis
(546 BC) and Babylon (539 BC) the
Achaemenian culture was still at its
dawn. Confirmation of this is the fact
that Cyrus, struck by the splendor of
Babylon, refused to allow it to be
sacked. It was probably he who
introduced the art of carpet making into
Persia. It is said that tomb of Cyrus,
who died in 529 BC and was buried at
Pasargade was covered with precious
carpets.
The Sassanid dynasty (224 AD- 641AD)
There are documents on the existence of
carpets during the period of the
Sassanid dynasty. The production of
carpets in Persia is in fact mentioned
in Chinese texts of the period.
Moreover, the Emperor Heradius in AD 628
brought back a variety of carpets from
the sack of Ctesiphone, the Sassanian
capital. Among the spoils brought back
by the Arabs who conquered Ctesiphone in
636 were said to be many carpets, among
which was the famous and magnificent
garden carpet called 'The Spring time of
Khosroes'. This carpet is known as the
most precious of all time. It was made
during the reign of Khosroes (531 AD -
578), a Sassanid king known as Anushirvn.
This garden carpet comprised of designs
that represented a garden in springtime
to illustrate the spring during the
winter time for the monarch and was
described by Arab historians thus as: '
The border was a magnificent flower bed
of blue, red, white, yellow and green
stones; in the background the color of
the earth was imitated with gold; clear
stones like crystals gave the illusion
of water; the plants were in silk and
the fruits, were formed by coloured
stones.’
The Caliph of Baghdad (661 - 861 ad)
The Sassanid dynasty was followed by the
rule of Caliphs of Baghdad for a very
long period in Persia. Though there is
less historic documentation to prove
that knotted carpets were made at that
reign in Persia, the testimony of Arab
historians confirms that the craft of
carpet weaving was not extinguished. The
carpets made by nomads were of very real
artistic value. This period has
influenced the future of this
craftsmanship. The integration of
Persian and Islamic cultures could be
seen in the designs of golden time of
Safavid rulers.
The minor dynasties (861-1037)
The dynasty of the Caliphs of Baghdad
was followed by a period wherein some
Persian dynasties succeeded in obtaining
relative independence and in regaining
power over their own land. This lasted
no less than two centuries. Sadly, there
is no certain information about the
craft of carpet making during these two
centuries.
The Seljuk Turks (1037 - 1194)
After the period of domination and
control by the Arab Caliphates, Persia
was conquered by the Seljuks- a Turkish
people named after their founder. Seljuk
domination was of great importance in
the history of Persian carpets. During
his reign, sensitivity towards all arts
forms was practiced. Their womenfolk
especially were skillful carpet makers
who generally used the Turkish knots in
weaving. In the provinces of Azerbaijan
and Hamdan where Seljuk influence was
strongest and the longest lasting, the
Turkish knot is used to this day. There
are no existing carpets to help us to
know more about this period.
In this period lived the two best-known
Persian poets : Abolghasem Firdusi and
Hakim Omar Khayyam their writings (Shah
Nameh and Rubiat Khayyam) are an endless
source of inspiration to the designers
of pictorial carpets at the present time
in Iran (the modern name for Persia).
Mongol Domination (1220-1449)
In the later part of the twelfth
century, Persia came under the
domination of the Shah of Khiva who
reigned over Kharezm, a central Asian
state situated along the lower reaches
of the Amu Darya river. His reign was
the shortest as in 1219, Persia was
invaded by Genghis Khan- Mongol ruler.
It is believed that the Mongols were
savage people and knew nothing about the
Persian arts. It seems that during this
period, carpet-making was carried out
only by nomadic tribes. With time, the
Mongols came under the influence of the
coventry that they had conquered. The
palace of Tabriz, belonging to the
leader Ghazan Khan, last Mongol leader
to be converted into Islam(1295 - 1304)
had paved floors covered with carpets.
There are no existing carpets to help us
to know more about this period.
The Safavid Dynasty (1499 -1722)
In the second half of the 15th century,
the Mongol dynasties gradually lost
control of Persia. In the western
region, they were won by the Turkoman
tribe of the White Sheep (Ag - Goinlo).
Emlr Uzun Hassan, a leader of the tribe,
set himself up in Tabriz in a palace
where the paved floors were covered with
carpets. At the same time, the last
Mongol rulers were embellishing the
palaces of Herat with carpets. This was
an important turning point in Persia's
history because, after more than seven
centuries of foreign domination, a
national dynasty was in a position to
gain power and take control.
In 1499, Shah Ismail 1(1499 - 1524)
drove out the White Sheep tribe and
founded the Savafid dynasty. In the
course of a few years, by means of a few
expeditions sent out from Tabriz, Shah
Ismaeil succeeded in conquering almost
all of Persia which thus came to be
conquered once more by a local dynasty.
Liberation from the foreign yoke created
a new ferment in the whole country and
all Persian art saw a period of
renaissance. Shah Ismaeil was sensitive
to this movement and facilitated the
renaissance of the arts as well as
gaining the sympathy of the people. The
great miniaturists such as Bihzad and
the others lived at court with honours
reserved for high dignitaries.
In the cities, craft centres were
created for the manufacture of carpets.
To these centres came the most skilled
village craftsmen who, under the
guidance of the miniaturist, wove the
knotted carpets for which Persia is
famous.
The accession to power of the Safavid
rulers is therefore of great importance
in the history of Persian carpets.
Moreover, it is from this period that
the first concrete proofs of this craft
are dated. About 1,500 examples from
this period are preserved in various
museums and in private collections.
Shah Ismaeil, was succeeded in 1524 by
his son Shah Tahmasp, was only twelve
years of age. Shah Tahmasp, was a great
patron of all the Persian arts. His
royal palace, first at Tabriz and later
at Kasvin, was decorated by mirdaturists
and painters, It seems that Shah Tahmasp
did not create a court workshop for
carpets, preferring that this art should
evolve contemporarily in all the centres
of Persia, evidently under the control
of artists and craftsmen from his court.
Despite the absence of an effective
court workshop, the most beautiful
examples of the Safavid period were made
during his long reign. The best carpets
of this period came from Kashan, Tabriz
and Isfahan.
Among the examples which have come down
from the reign of Shah Tahmasp are the
carpet discovered in the mosque of
Ardebil and the hunting carpet. Shah
Tahnasp reigned until 1567. After his
reign ended, Shah Abbas the Great (1587
- 1629) seized power. During Shah’s
reign, Persia went through a period of
calm and national unity. Commerce and
crafts prospered, trade was established
with the great European states, and thus
gifts to rulers and ambassadors and
through trade exchange, the Persian
carpet penetrated into Europe and in a
few years acquired great fame.
In 1590, Shah Abbas moved his capital to
Isfahan. There he built a court workshop
for carpets where skilled designers and
craftsmen worked to create magnificent
specimens. These were mostly in silk and
often contained gold and silver thread.
After the death of Shah Abbas in 1629,
Shah Safi came to throne. In 1642 he was
succeeded by the Shah Abbas II, Shah
Suleiman and Sultan Hussein. During this
period Persia was involved in various
wars against the Turks and consequently
the Persian arts underwent a progressive
decline. In 1722, the Afghans invaded
Persia and occupied and destroyed
Isfahan. They ended the Safavid dynasty
and the court period of the Persian
carpet.
The Afghan invasion to the Pahlevi
dynasty
The Afghans ruled Persia for ten years
and they were superceded by Nader Gholi,
a native of Khorassan, who in 1736 was
named Shah of Persia. The reign of Nader
Shah lasted ten years, during which all
the forces of the country were utilized
in victorious campaigns against the
Turks, the Russians and the Afghans.
When he died in 1747, the prince of the
Luri tribe- Karim Khan Zand, took over
the throne and was known as the ruler of
the Kingdom of Persia. He established
his capital at Shiraz. During his reign
(1750 - 1799), no artistic value carpets
were made in the city workshops and the
tradition of tiff craft was practiced by
the nomads.
After his death, the Kingdom of Persia
underwent a period of disorder until
Agha Mohammed Khan Qajar (1786) took
over the power and found the dynasty of
the Qajar which lasted up to 1925. They
transferred the capital to Tehran.
During the Qajar reign, the trade and
craftsmanship regained their importance
in the last quarter of the nineteenth
century because of the merchants of
Tabriz who had begun to export to Europe
through Istanbul. At the end of
nineteenth century some European and
American companies set up their
businesses in Persia and organised craft
production destined for western markets.
In 1925, Reza Shah took power from the
Qajars and founded the Pahlevi dynasty
(1925 - 1979). He encouraged the craft
of carpet making and created Imperial
workshops. These workshops produced some
of the masterpieces for his palaces in
Tehran which are already considered as
museum pieces. His son Mohammed Reza
Pahlevi, followed his father's policy
and promoted this art by opening the
Tehran Museum and facilitating the
export and trade.
The Pahlevi rule came to an end in 1979
by the Islamic revolution in Iran. The
present government in Iran is trying to
keep this tradition alive by organizing
annual seminars on carpets, inviting the
curators of all the world's great
museums to participate in the seminars
which are large scale and well planned.
The carpet museum in Tehran is
awe-inspiring, and anyone who has the
opportunity to visit should definitely
do so. |
