Inspiration

The Bakthiari is a tribe originating from the South-West of Iran. They view themselves as the descendents of “Fereydun”, widely believed to be a mythical king and hero who is an emblem of victory, justice and generosity. The Bakhtiari consists of two tribes namely: Chahar Lang (Four "limbs") and Haft Lang (Seven "Limbs") groups and each of these two groups are ruled by single powerful families, however, the overall ruling power alternates every two years between the chiefs of both tribes. The Bakhtiari still lives a nomadic lifestyle and migrate between the summer and winter quarters every year. Under the command of the Haft Lang Shah, Sardar Assad, the Bakhtiari captured Tehran and played a significant role in constitutional reform and the abdication of Shah Mohammed Ali in 1909, after which he was exiled to Russia. Before dying in exile in South Africa, Reza Shah Pahlevi attempted to destroy the Bakhtiari during his reign (1925-1941) and they have never fully recovered since that time. They are noted in Iran for their remarkable music. A large number of influential politicians in modern Iran, comes from this tribe.

Contact Shervin Ghorbany on 0824548533 for more information.

 It was first exhibited in 1904 at St. Petersburg. It was rediscovered by Arthur Upham Pope and shown again in 1931 in London, at the International Exhibition (Congress) of Persian Art, where it caused a great sensation. For the next twenty-three years, Pope had it on loan exhibition" and it became known as the Sanguszko carpet due to its provenance. The carpet was displayed in 1949 for the visit of the Shah of Iran to Pope's Asia Institute in New York. In 1951 Pope saw a picture of the jinbaori war vest of Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598) that is made from a Kashan flat weave, with the figure of a lion attacking an antelope, and Pope recognized the design as coming from the same cartoon as that used for this carpet."

"This jinbaori vest was made to wear over armor. It was reportedly owned by Regent Toyotomi Hideyoshi and has been preserved through time by Kodai-ji Temple, established in memory of Hideyoshi by his widow, Kita-no-Mandokoro.
This vest was woven of silk using tapestry techniques. The textile may originally have been a carpet made in Kashan in Persia. The design of a lion attacking his prey is a traditional motifs in Persian carpets. Such carpets were imported into Japan by Portuguese ships in the Momoyama Period. Placing textiles on the floor, however, was incongruous with the Japanese life style, so the Japanese rarely used them as carpets.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the high-spirited Momoyama-Period military ruler, tried to maintain an atmosphere of luxury even within his military camps by turning exotic textiles such as Persian carpets into jinbaori vests."

Extracts:

• http://www.kyohaku.go.jp/…/syuz…/meihin/senshoku/item06.html
• http://www.azerbaijanrugs.com/safavid/safavid_carpet23_Sanguszko_miho.htm

It is only when the trading powers tipped in favour of the West during the 1800’s and merchants gained more access to the Eastern empires and its rich old histories that it became fashionable to attribute a proper name to carpets. It was probably the stories connected to carpets of its provenance or the tribes who wove it that romanticised this valuable commodity even more. Just owning such a carpet and then being able to tell guests its whole story became a popular reason for throwing a dinner party, especially in America. These western carpet owners played an immensely important role in the academic information available on carpets today. Many of these owners were wealthy travellers and business owners who became collectors and in so doing it became important to document their collections, but to document it properly you need all the information on it: the maker, the place, the era, the materials used, the methods used. Many of these western collectors wrote books on Persian carpets with all the information in it that they could find and it led to more books and more studies. Today we are fortunate to have tons of information available and this often determines the value of carpets more than anything.

In the commercial world there are basically seven different types of names given to carpets: a city, a tribe, an ethnic group, a main selling centre, a designer/weaver/investor, a technique or the purpose.

CITIES:
Carpets are named after cities (such as Ishfahan, Tabriz, Kashan, etc.) because the weaving centres there are permanent. These workshops have specific designs and colours that they use to produce their carpets that are unique to them. These are generally finer quality carpets with higher values.

TRIBES:
Carpets are named after tribes (such as Turkeman, Qashqai, Kurdish, etc.) when these tribes are/were mainly nomadic and they are not based on a certain town or village to weave their carpets. They too have specific designs and colours that are unique to them. These are generally less expensive carpets since they are less refined but there are some very notable exceptions such as the Bijar and Bakhtiari carpets that are generally fine and dense products.

ETHNIC GROUPS:
Carpets are named after an ethnic group (such as Armenian, Jahudi Baf, Romanian, etc.) when there are no distinguishable tribes but it is made by the group as whole in a specific style and colouring unique to them. These carpets have different categories of fineness and the value will depend on this as well as the particular design used.

MAIN SELLING CENTRES:
In many countries there are many villages surrounding a city with a main bazaar where all the carpets are collected to be sold. These carpets are then named after this city/town as opposed to the villages (such as Hamadan, Mussel, etc.). Since most of these centres sell village carpets the values would depend on the fineness of the carpets.

DESIGNERS/MASTER WEAVERS/INVESTORS:
When a certain design was invented by a designer/master weaver/investor their names are given to the carpets as an identifier (such as Mohtasham, Haj Jalili, Ziegler, etc.). The value of these carpets depend on the fineness and age of the carpets as well as whether they were originally woven by the master weaver himself.

TECHNIQUE:
Some carpets are named after the technique of weaving (such as Gabbeh, Jajim, etc.) and are mostly tribal pieces woven by many different tribes. The values would mostly depend on the fineness and age of the carpets.

PURPOSE:
Carpets woven for specific purposes are named after the purpose (such as Prayer rugs, Mafresh – box covers, Sofreh – eating carpet, etc.). The name of the weaving centre or tribe might be added in front of the name to identify the place of weaving. The value of these depend mostly on the fineness and age.

For collectors there are currently five additional types of names that are added to the already long list: the era in which it was woven, the place of discovery, the Renaissance painters, historical events and the provenance.

ERA OF WEAVING:
This generally indicates the age of the carpet (such as Safavid Era, Mamluk Era, Seljuk Era, etc.). These carpets are rare and near priceless.

PLACE OF DISCOVERY:
Believe it or not, even with all the classification, there are still some pieces that are found but its origin cannot be determined. In these cases they are named after the place in which they were discovered (such as Topkapi, Pazyryk, etc.). These carpets are historical artefacts and priceless.

RENAISSANCE PAINTERS:
It was high fashion during Renaissance times to have your portrait painted with all your valuables and many Renaissance painters included Persian carpets in their works of art as well (such as Lotto, Memling, Holbein, etc). Their paintings survived into modern times and it was at first thought that they created the Persian carpets themselves since all their paintings generally included a particular carpet design. Only later when surviving carpets with similar designs were discovered was it realised that they were real, but the name of the painters stuck to it. These carpets are very rare and near priceless.

HISTORICAL EVENTS:
Our forefathers were constantly building and destroying empires and war booty was the prize for all their effort together with diplomatic gifts or royalties paid by subordinate kingdoms. These all often took the form of Persian carpets that was one of the main commodities for centuries. Many of these surviving carpets are named after historical events (such as Polonaise carpets) to commemorate it. These carpets are very rare and near priceless.

PROVENANCE:
Provenance plays a big role in naming some antique pieces (such as the Sanguszko carpets, John Clarke collection, Salting carpets, etc.) even when the weaving style or place is known. These pieces generally become museum assets and are near priceless.

Our RUGDEALER, Shervin Ghorbany, is of the opinion that since the naming of carpets started in earnest the industry has lost some of its value. He compares it to some old secretive religions of Iran that lost its mysticism once scholars started writing about it and in so doing either endangered its very existence or caused its demise. More than the names it is the enjoyment of owning a Persian carpet that you love that matters above all.

Frederick III in a secret plot twist allowed the English passage to pillage the ship and her rich cargo, but luckily for the Dutch the Bergen governor was unaware of this arrangement and was adamant to maintain Denmark's neutral stance. He interceded as international law demanded and protected the Dutch ship.

The outraged English then declared war on Denmark, but the following year, in a move of nice diplomatic irony, the grateful Dutch presented a treasured Persian rug from the Walcheren's cargo as a gift to Sophie Amalie, the Danish king's wife. In April 1700, this carpet, "woven with gold," was used in the annointing ceremony of the coronation of Frederick IV and Queen Louise, and it has served in the coronations of Danish kings ever since. It is kept at the Rosenborg Palace, alongside such other national regalia as the Danish scepter and orb and the king's throne.

Once a year, one week in October, The Royal Danish Collections shows the public the Coronation and Chenille Carpets at the Rosenborg Castle.

Photo by Jan Andersen, the Danish Rug Society

Choosing this luxury item - that was once the item to own above all - can be daunting, maybe even outright confusing! Add to that the cost and the uncertainty of whether you are getting a "good deal", your highly pleasurable sensory experience could turn into the opposite. If you throw colour choices in the mix it could become less daunting, but this mysterious item of beauty can still remain a confusing seductress...

I would like to give a bit of advice, if I may...The way I see each piece is that it represents the weaver who wove it. I try to find the story he/she is wanting to tell me because it IS their story. I look at the piece and I start with...

Chapter 1: The colour: The chosen palette tells me about the colours that are important to them, the colours that are available to them and it tells me about their surroundings and what they see. Every colour chosen tells me about their life in colour.

Chapter 2: The design: Every design tells me their family and tribal history. It shows me what characters and symbols are important to them. It may even reveal their daily rituals or routines. It shows me their lineage, their genealogy.

Chapter 3: The knots: Every woven line of knots tells me about a day in their life while weaving this piece, it carries the joys and sorrows experienced during the days, weeks or months of the weaving process. Every fiber tells me the story of their DNA because by weaving each knot they transferred their DNA.

Chapter 4: The cover: The overall look of the carpet tells me who this weaver is and it is up to me to decide whether to buy their labour of love, because that is what this trade is! An absolute, unequivocal labour of love not just for one day, one week, one month, one year, one lifetime but for many centuries and thousands of lifetimes.

I then need to decide whether I want to take their story home and make it part of my own, not just for me but for the generations after me who will inherit the story too.

Happy Carpet Shopping!

One such group of merchants who literally travelled from France to China continuously for nearly 500 years during the Middle Ages, was the Radhanites. Very little is known about their origins, apart from that they were Jews, and many academic discussions have been had around the name itself, but according to surviving accounts, especially those written in 870AD by ibn Khordadbeh in his "Book of Roads and Kingdoms", the four main trade routes travelled by the Radhanites all started in the Rhone Valley in France and ended on the east coast of China. Looking at the map detailing their routes makes it clear that the Radhanites, probably more than anyone, carved out and utilized the Silk Road to the fullest extent. It was also likely them that made Europe fall in love with the exotic and luxurious items from the East and thus creating the desire of Europe to strengthen trading ties. Not only that, they introduced the East to Western items that would become equally as desirable and thus trading between West and East happened through the Radhanites. During the middle Ages the Middle East, North Africa and Christian kingdoms in Europe refused to trade with each other or to allow each other’s merchants to even enter their countries, so the Radhanites were the neutral travellers and merchants that could trade on behalf of these kingdoms with each other. They were highly regarded in both the East and West because of the revenues they brought to each and because of their neutrality and enjoyed many privileges that other merchants did not. The Radhanites were multi lingual too. Ibn Khordadbeh records that they were fluent in Arabic, Persian, Roman, the Frank, Spanish and Slav languages.

They traded in items that were light to carry, since much of their routes were on foot, but high in value such as spices, perfumes, jewellery, silk, oils, weaponry, furs and slaves. Furthermore they developed the system of letters of credit to transport large sums of money to reduce the risk of it being looted by bandits on the way, thus becoming the forefathers of the banking system as far back as 500AD to 1000AD. They are credited, amongst many other things, with introducing Chinese papermaking to the West as well as the Arab-Hindu numerals.

Their demise would ultimately be the fall of the Tang Dynasty and Khazar Khanate that caused much of the Silk Road to collapse for many centuries. New mercantile Italian city-states, such as Genoa and Venice, took the opportunity to make themselves desirable trading centres and they viewed the Radhanites as unwanted competitors and made the Radhanites’ purpose redundant. After 1000AD the Radhanites were no more but the effects of their travels remained intact for future merchants to use and thrive.

Sources:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radhanite

Looking into their history and origins you find that the Armenians have a very old history, in fact so old that it goes right back to Noah. Mount Ararat on which the ark landed with Noah and his family and all the animals, is inside the borders of Armenia and the Armenians claim to be descendants from Noah’s son Shem through Hayk the Great, legendary founder of the Armenian nation and killer of Nimrod, the builder of the biblical Tower of Babel. The earliest recording of them is in 13th century BC Akkadian writings in which they are called Urartians, deriving from Urartu – the Akkadian name for Ararat. They were a league of tribes living in close vicinity of each other in the land later called Nairi and at the time they worshipped Khaldi as their supreme deity whose wife Arubani was the goddess of fertility and creativity. No doubt their skills in weaving was attributed to her teachings. Khaldi is depicted standing on top of a lion, a theme that is reflected in many of the old religions of the time, and would even end up in the west and Britain with many knights depicted in the same way.

Modern day Armenia is situated in the highlands surrounding Mount Ararat and recent excavations resulted in the finding of the oldest known leather shoe, skirt and the world's oldest wine-producing facility, all dating to around 4,000 BC, which attest to their long and powerful creative and commercial past. Besides this some carpet fragments dating to around the 7th century BC have also been found making many experts believe that they were the first carpet weavers in the world. Although a more complete rug have not been found from those times, some experts now also believe that the world’s oldest surviving carpet dating to the 3rd century BC, the Pazyryk carpet, was woven by Armenians. Firstly because the knots used is the Armenian double knot, secondly because the red filaments colour was made from Armenian cochineal and thirdly because depiction of the Armenian delegation in murals at Persepolis show the same horse relief as is found on the Pazyryk carpet. Even the historian Herodotus wrote in the 5th century BC that the inhabitants of the Caucasus wove beautiful rugs with brilliant colours which would never fade, a theme that was continued by Arab, Persian and Italian historians, travellers and writers throughout the ages. They were well known for their skills in producing dyed wool of which purple was one of their signatures.

For Armenians weaving carpets and textiles is a family affair, only during the time that Armenia formed part of the Soviet Union did the weaving industry become commercialized for a while. Their carpets have always, since the beginning of time, reflected the objects and symbols that were important and holy to them. The eagle -, serpent and dragon carpets all attest to the Armenian Neopaganism before they converted to Zoroastriasm, the Persian religion introduced during the Achaemenid Era when Armenia formed part of the Media satrapy. Christianity spread into the country as early as 40 AD and Tiridates III of Armenia made Christianity the state religion in 301 AD, partly in defiance of the Sasanian Empire some believe. Again, their carpets were changed to incorporate Christian symbolism and in fact certain carpets to this day are believed to reflect the blue print of the Armenian Church designs as well as other obvious Christian symbols.

The term carpet comes from the Armenian word “kapert” formed from the root “kap” which means knot in Armenian. Francesco Balducci Pegolotti, a Florentine merchant stationed in Cyprus, reported in his La pratica della mercatura that from 1274 to 1330, carpets (kaperts) were imported from the Armenian cities of Ayas and Sis to Florence, but the word was used even earlier in the 5th-century Armenian translation of the Bible (Matthew 9:16 and Mark 2:21). Innumerable Armenian carpets flowed everywhere from East to West through the Silk Road, but during the time of the Ottoman Empire they were all labelled “Turkish carpets” which has since been rectified by the tireless work of many carpet experts through the last century. Some scholars believe that the famous Ottoman prayer rugs can also mostly be attributed to the Armenian weavers. Even though they were woven for prayer practices of Sunni Muslims, the Armenian carpet weavers were already skilled in weaving church architecture into their carpets by the start of Islam and could therefore easily change their own designs to reflect the mihrab (the niche facing Mecca) in mosques. This also attests to the good relations Armenians had with the diverse cultures that formed their neighbours and the trust placed in them.

Persians and the Armenians have always shared a very special relationship because Armenia formed part of Persia for most of its history. During the wars between the Ottoman Empire and Persia, Armenia was divided into Western Armenia ruled by the Ottomans and Eastern Armenia ruled by the Persians. Shah Abbas during the Safavid Dynasty forcefully relocated Armenians from Eastern Armenia to New Julfa in Isfahan. Bourvari, a collection of villages in Khomein, is another area mainly populated by Armenians who suffered Shah Abbas’ scorched earth policy of Eastern Armenia. This is a strong indicator of just how important the Armenians were to the Persians that they didn’t want to risk losing these skilled people to the Ottomans. Their contribution to Iranian arts, crafts, commerce and politics have been invaluable and they are regarded as the most influential religious minority in Iran, being Christians, and the oldest Armenian churches are situated in the Iran. They are well known for their unique carpet weaving of which Khomein and Viss carpets are probably the most well-known. Besides the living areas mentioned, the Armenians in Iran also have a long history of living in Chaharmahal Bakhtiari where they have also developed a special style of carpet called Armani Baf. Another Armenian city in Iran famous for its carpets is Khoy and its’ neighbouring villages.

"The complex history of Armenian weaving and needlework was acted out in the Near East, a vast, ancient, and ethnically diverse region. Few are the people who, like the Armenians, can boast of a continuous and consistent record of fine textile production from the 1st millennium BC to the present. Armenians today are blessed by the diversity and richness of a textile heritage passed on by thirty centuries of diligent practice; yet they are burdened by the pressure to keep alive a tradition nearly destroyed in the Armenian Genocide of 1915, and subverted by a technology that condemns handmade fabrics to museums and lets machines produce perfect, but lifeless cloth".

Sources:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenian_carpet
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenia
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayk
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arubani
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%B8%AAaldi
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urartu

We start our journey in the region of the Hungarian plains stretching all the way to the Chinese Kansu corridor (8BC to around 600AD) where the highly skilled Scythian warrior tribes lived. One look at the arts and crafts they left behind and it is clear that not only were they extraordinary warriors but they had excellent taste in décor and design! Before melting into various different tribes including the Sogdians, they carved out a road that connected many villages and in so doing they encouraged trade along it. Chinese silks were found in a Scythian burial in Germany dated to 6th BC indicating that the Scythians traded with the Chinese from very early on.

Down South the mighty Achaemenid Empire ruled by Cyrus the Great carved out their own path. The Royal Road stretched 2,857km from Susa to the Port of Smyrna (modern day Izmir) that allowed royal couriers to carry messages the entire distance in only 9 days. This was achieved by having postal stations (the first in the world) and relays at regular intervals where there awaited fresh horses and couriers to continue the journey. The road was maintained and protected by the king. When Alexander the Great took over the Persian Empire he travelled further east and establish his city, Alexandria Eschate, in today’s Xinjiang province of China. His successors went further into Sogdiana and even as far as Kashgar in Chinese Turkestan which led to the first contact between the Chinese and their neighbour. The Royal Road was extended to include these new areas.

At the same time the Chinese Emperor Wu also got his own road after he took it from his enemies, the Hsiung-nu, and hearing about the riches of neighbours outside the borders of China (Ferghana, Bactria and Parthia), his desire to connect his road to their lands became of utmost importance. At this point China already had a “Maritime Silk Road” that connected it to India.Trade between these three commenced and thrived until another very wealthy customer entered the fray. When the Romans annexed Egypt and saw the incredible objects of beauty on offer, a love affair started and I am not just referring to Julius and Cleopatra. The Romans realized just how much more trade along the Silk Road could enrich Rome and once the Roman ladies held silk in their hands, the days of cotton and wool garments were gone! As much as the Roman Senate tried to prohibit them from wearing these see-through silk garments and stop them from sending all their money east, it simply didn’t work! Unfortunately the wealthy Rome fell on hard times around the 5th Century and with it the high demand for Asian products.

With all the inflow of Western money the Sasanid, Sogdian and Chinese Empires flourished and there was no end to the exquisite products they produced. With the acquisition of silks from China the Sasanids and Sogdians were able to make textiles that are still renowned today and the finest, most unbelievable Persian carpet creations known to man.

The Byzantine’s didn’t enjoy very friendly relations with the Sasanids but as the successor of the Eastern Roman Empire its citizens came to rely on the products from the East. The Sasanids controlled its entrance to the Silk Road and didn’t play nice with the threatening Byzantine forces. The Sogdians, being cunning and very diplomatic, cut a deal with the Byzantines to bypass the Sasanids and trade directly with them instead. Even though some Byzantine monks secretly stole some silkworm eggs at one point that gave the Byzantine Empire the monopoly on silk production in Europe, the Chinese silks were still seen as far superior quality and the Byzantines thus continued their trade with the Sogdians.

Rising forces of Islam saw many changes in the mighty world empires at the time and Persia would finally fall into its hands. This saw a massive creative transformation in the arts and Islamic art became the new craze all over, but it also placed a large part of the Silk Road in their hands. At the same time the Tang Dynasty in China managed to finally defeat the ever protruding Tibetan forces, a move that ensured the permanent reopening of the Silk Road in China. This was the start of the Golden Era of the Silk Road as the most important trade route from East to West. The mix of foreign cultures, religions, arts, crafts, wisdom, knowledge, information all made humankind so much richer. The Tang Dynasty also increased their Maritime Silk Road travelling not just to India, but also the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, into Persia, Mesopotamia (sailing up the Euphrates River in modern-day Iraq), Arabia, Egypt, Aksum (Ethiopia), and Somalia in the Horn of Africa.

As much as the Silk Road contributed to the wealth and well-being of all involved, it also contributed to the opposite. Disease unknown to some parts were brought there from other parts and the Black Death also made its way up the Silk Road resulting in millions of deaths. The well managed and travelled Silk Road also aided many new forces to invade lands, such as the Mongols who established their bases all along the major cities on the road. Yet no matter who the rulers are, the traders kept trading and just adjusted their lives accordingly, after all it didn’t really matter who you had to pay tributes to as long as you get to sell and buy what you need and want.

At some point the Silk Road became more dangerous and treacherous, with bandits robbing traders and travellers and selling them into slavery, and the different empires chose trade at sea for a while resulting in a quieter time along the Silk Road, until the losses at sea became more expensive due to storms and pirating of ships and cargo. Believe it or not it was the camel that saved the Silk Road. Here amongst us is this beast that can walk for days and survive in severe conditions and carry huge amounts of weight. It was the solution to many problems on land and the camel became one of the most important commodities on the Silk Road and its unlikely savior. From the time of using camels until the production of motor cars, the camel remained the preferred mode of transport for merchants in the Middle East along the Silk Road.

When the Ottomans took control of the area the Grand Bazaar in Turkey became the hot spot for Silk Road trade, because here East and West met and wealthy customers and merchants came from all over to meet in this most interesting melting pot of cultures.

“One vivid account comes from a French traveler in 1877, during the last years that the Grand Bazaar could still be seen in its original form. The writer, M. de Gasparin, is an incurable romantic. But there is clearly enough color in the bazaar to spark any imagination:

“An Arab, with his spear in hand, sitting surrounded by the Persian shawls which he brought by his caravans, used to walk after a long row of camels in the desert. Another merchant is from the depths of Central Asia. Another one, with a thin face and pale complexion, has passed the sand and the seaside beaches of Syria on horseback and brought golden colored silk from Lebanon and soft clothes and pleasant scarves from Tyre and Sidon ... Egypt has sent that nearly black-skinned merchant who has brought the heavy cloth of that country, a mixture of silk and wool. This thin-faced bronze, tanned man comes from Morocco, leaning against milk-white threads and lapis blue dresses. Wherever these men may have been, whatever adventures they may have lived and whichever foreign country has injected the traces of other skies into their faces, their brows have lost nothing of their majestic nobility and their meaningful eyes have lost nothing of the depth that comes from authority, self-respect, and self-assurance. These merchants do not call the passers-by to their shops. They do not even have an inviting attitude; one could sense no greed in them, nor any worry in their posture … If a buyer came, ‘Masallah,’ if no one entered their shops, ‘So what?’”

There were rugs from Central Asia, from the Caucasus, from Anatolia. There were rugs smuggled by the tons across the border from Persia, the Ottoman Empire’s great eastern rival. The border was often officially closed but the carpet trade was so lucrative that both sides turned to a third party – their Armenian populations – to act as the go-between for the business and let them freely cross the frontier."

From here goods also flowed to Venice from where it would enter the insatiable European market. It is after all the constant demand for exotic Eastern items that kept the Silk Road and all its merchants, craftsmen, artists and partners going until the Europeans, tired of having to pay constant taxes, found their own way to the East. Then a new way and wave of doing business commenced that completely side-lined the Silk Road and all her partners. It tipped the scales of power into the hands of the West and one can argue that that is still the case. Yet the romantic, the mystical, the magical, the exotic Silk Road culture lives on in the many cultures that still live on it uninfluenced by modern life. We see it in their carpet designs, in their clothing and their art, and it takes us back to that time of wonder.

Sources:

• http://tea-and-carpets.blogspot.co.za/2009/08/istanbul-when-grand-bazaar-was-center.html
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silk_Road

Some prayer rugs showcase the actual architecture of the mihrab in specific mosques whereas others are more abstract representations of the idea. The niche on a prayer rug is generally the place where the head is placed and the two spaces next to it, the place where you place your hands when kneeling down in prayer. This allows the participant to visualize the mihrab and in so doing also the Kaaba in Mecca and heaven. Prayer rugs are exclusively woven and used by Sunni Muslims. Muslims practising Shi’ite Islam, like majority Iranians, use prayer stones and their closest representation to a prayer rug would be those with the tree of life design.

What a shock then when some Shi’ite prayer rugs were discovered in the Topkapi Palace treasury. The carpet world came to a standstill. This was an impossibility! The speculation is that at the time that the balance of power fell to the Ottomans during Iran’s Safavid Dynasty, "the Safavid Shah Tahmasp, who reigned for 52 years during this regional warfare, turned to a policy of appeasement instead." He offered gifts to the Ottomans in many forms including carpets. Now it could be that he ordered prayer rugs to be woven in acknowledgement of the practices of the Ottomans, but including Shi’ite prayer inscriptions were either a diplomatic slap to the Ottoman faces or a way to introduce Shi’ite Islam to the predominantly Sunni Ottomans. Whatever the reason, these were the first and last Shi’ite prayer rugs woven as far as is known.

Another shock went through the carpet world when over 400 well preserved Ottoman prayer rugs were discovered in the Gothic Christian churches of Transylvania. How did this happen? What were prayer rugs, exclusively associated with Islam, doing in Christian churches? During the reign of the Ottomans the empire stretched as far as Austria, but not all countries were incorporated into the empire. Some previous Roman satraps remained independent but had to pay tribute to the Ottoman Empire. One such area was Transylvania that remained Christian.

“Organized trade between the Romanian countries and the Ottoman Empire began with Sultan Mehmed II's decree of 1456, granting Moldavian merchants the right to travel to Constantinople for trade. The role of Turkish rugs as trade goods of high value and prestigious collectibles is documented in the merchant accreditations, vigesimal accounts, municipal and church annals as well as individual contracts and wills, archived in the Transylvanian towns. The municipalities and other institutions of the Saxon towns, persons of nobility and public influence, as well as citizens were owners of Ottoman rugs. The towns acquired Turkish rugs either as customs duty paid in like, or purchased rugs from the trade. Rugs were frequently offered to public persons as a gift of honour.

Rugs were used to mark the place of individual persons, or members of a guild, in church. There is also evidence of collections owned by private persons. Contracts specify that the rugs were hung on the walls of private homes for decoration. As such, rugs were used to confirm the social status of the owner, but the reports also confirm that the carpets were perceived as objects of beauty and art. The Transylvanian Saxons referred to them as "Kirchenteppiche" ("church carpets") even though a significant number of the rugs which still are on display in Transylvanian churches show Islamic prayer rug designs.” These prayer rugs are still on display in the Transylvanian churches to this day.

There are mainly four types of prayer rugs identified in the churches: prayer rugs, single niche, double niche and column rugs. The prayer rugs display a single niche but with an empty field in a single colour in the middle field. The single niche has some decorative patterns inside the middle field. The Column rugs are characterized by column motifs supporting an architectural structure, most often an arch. “The Double-niche layout came into being probably because of the edict sent to Kütahya in 1610, under the rule of Sultan Ahmed I, which stated:

We heard that, weavers are producing carpets and seccades in your kazas (townships) depicting mihrab, kabe (Kaaba) and hat (calligraphy) on carpets and seccades and selling them to non-Muslims. Shaykh al-Islam prescribes this is against Islam and forbidden by şeriat.
(Ahmet Refik, Istanbul Hayati (1000 – 1100), Istanbul, doc. 83, pp.43-44 Transl. by Levent Boz, Ankara)

So, producing rugs for export in this format was a way of ostensibly obeying the Edict. When the second niche was added the field pattern had to be adapted. The idea of the double-niche could have been borrowed from small-medallion Ushaks or from book-binding but all the design elements reflect the Single-niche rugs.”

There are some examples of Christian “prayer rugs” too. The central shield-like design in Kazak Sevan rugs is thought by some to relate to the floor plan of Armenian churches. Interestingly the design also represents the Armenian grave stones that are made from a special soil. Historically when the demand in the west for prayer rugs increased a lot of Armenian workshops started producing them since they were also involved in dyeing the wool for these rugs before. This rug establishes the fact that some classic Caucasian designs were woven by Armenians, and it confirms the impression that Armenian rugs were part of the mainstream rug production in the nineteenth century rather than the periphery. There are many rugs woven by Armenians inside and outside of Iran, that include many Christian symbols in the design of their rugs.

Sources:

• http://tea-and-carpets.blogspot.co.za/2010/01/salting-carpets-and-topkapi-prayer-rugs.html
• http://www.armeniafest.com/carpet-weaving.html
• http://www.transylvanianrugs.com/?p=2425
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transylvanian_rugs

A brief history of the Mamluks: The Mamluks were a class of slave soldiers used by the Islamic rulers, something that was unique to their rule. This class of slaves were higher than other slave classes and were mostly made up of young boys sold by their families to be trained as soldiers. Due to their many years of training they became fierce and loyal to their owners and because of that were often awarded high positions in the armies and society. The Mamluk Dynasties originated due to political turmoil in Egypt and the Mamluks took over for a time to maintain the status quo. There were two Mamluk Dynasties, one being the Bahri Dynasty (comprising mostly people of Cuman-Kipchak Turkic origin) and the second being Burji Dynasty (comprising mostly people of Circassian origin), both initially originating from the Caucuses. The surviving Mamluk carpets are mostly from the second dynasty.

The first style of Mamluk carpets from Egypt featured significantly in Mediterranean commerce and appear in Venetian paintings as early as the sixteenth century. They are characterized by a central medallion surrounded by a variety of smaller geometric motifs, forming a kaleidoscopic appearance. The palette is limited to red, blue, green, and yellow tones. Documents first refer to Cairo as a center of carpet weaving in the last quarter of the fifteenth century, and production continued until the mid-sixteenth century, shortly after the 1517 Ottoman conquest of Egypt. (Photo courtesy of The MAK)

The second style of Mamluk carpets is the Damascus rug, often attributed to Damascus, Syria, in the 16th or 17th century in continuation of the rug art of the Mamlūk rulers of that land. The usual Damascus field pattern is a grid of small squares or rectangles (hence the European term chessboard carpets), each of which includes a hexagon or octagon filled with tiny radial motifs that surround a star interlace. Among the other field patterns that occur is a large one with several medallions. The material is thought to be goat hair throughout. These rugs, like the Mamluk and Ottoman carpets of Egypt, were made with the asymmetrical knot.

Sources & extracts:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamluk
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamluk_Sultanate_(Cairo)
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/maml/hd_maml.htm

During the 17th century European artists started mimicking the carpets, tapestries and even textiles, first by hand and later by machine. Even though the Eastern items were always regarded as far better quality, the newly European made items were a good second choice for most. They could mostly copy the designs, but not to the detailed extend of those made in the East, yet as time passed the Europeans improved their weaving to include better quality wool, cotton and silk as well as more colours. Over time the designs became "western" and the stories of their origins lost...

One such design that has been a Western favourite for centuries is Paisley. It was named after the town in Scotland that became most famous for producing exquisite paisley shawls. However, as with most designs, its origins lies east. One thing about the early cultures that populated the East and Middle East is that all their art had a meaning and a reference to their god/s. There is simply no design that does not correspond with a certain religion and the same with paisley.

In Iran it is called the Boteh (teardrop) and according to different accounts the Boteh has various origins. The first and most popular is that it represents the Cypress tree. In Mithraism – one of Iran’s first monotheistic religions – the Cypress tree held a great significance to Mithra. Even in the next religion, Zoroastriasm, the Cypress is regarded as holy and all tree of life motifs in Persian carpets are said to represent this tree. The second origin is that of the fig. When a fig is cut open its resemblance to paisley is uncanny and in Iran the fig is revered for its rejuvenating properties as a fruit as well as in many myths and legends. The third and probably most mystical is that it represents a pregnant womb of a mother. One can argue that the two first mentioned origins all stem from this one. It all comes down to the beautiful cycle of life creation on earth.

So next time you don your paisley shawl, shirt, skirt or jacket know you are wearing a very fashionable design with very mystical origins!

One of these carpet groups that is still a bit puzzling in the carpet world is the Beshir carpets. They are called Beshir because it is believed that they were made in a small village next to the Amu Darya river bank that was called Beshir. They are, however, no longer produced and haven’t been for over 100 years, but it is known that they made their way through Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. They are highly collectible and thus they cause much speculation and discussions as to whom could have made them. Not all histories of peoples are written down but the carpets serve as the silent voice of a people that existed and produced them.

The Beshir tribe has been linked to the Ersari Turkmens, but the link doesn’t appear to be that clear. The designs in the Beshir carpets are entirely different from other Turkmen carpets, they used a reddish brown as opposed to the trademark deep red of the Turkmen, their designs were larger and less compact and they wove the carpets with an asymmetrical/Persian knot which opens to the right as opposed to the Turkmen Turkish knot or Persian knot that opens to the left. This is highly unusual. so to satisfy our curiosity we decided to dig deeper and here is what we found.

The Ersari tribes lived in the modern day Balkan province of Turkmenistan up to the around the 17th century when a large majority of them moved eastward, after the drying up of the Uzboy channel. If the Beshir tribe was indeed a member of the larger Ersari tribe, the Balkan province would be a good starting point. Who else lived there and when?

The Balkan province borders Iran so it would be fair to expect some influences flowing upwards and downwards. The earliest mention of a tribe in that region is that of the Turanians 2400 BCE in the Farvardin yashts. The Avesta mentions many old tribes including the Tuiryas (Turanians) as enemies of the Airyas (Aryans, associated with the Iranian people). Two more tribes mentioned as living in the Balkan province are the Sarmatians and the Dahae. Around the 6th century with arrival of Turks in the area the term Turanian and Turkic became interchangeable even though there is no relation between the two.

From around 1800 BC other people called the Andronovo culture started moving westward from Siberia towards the current day Balkan province of Turkmenistan. They were a flourishing society and covered a vast area. After them, from the late 2nd millennium BC, the Scythian tribes, along with Cimmerians, Sarmatians and Alans populated the steppes north of the Black Sea and also formed the Indo-Scythian Empire in the modern day Balkan province. These Scythians is the same tribe that produced the oldest surviving carpet – the Pazyryk carpet – now in the State Hermitage Museum in Russia. The Scythians and the Sarmatians would eventually dissolve into the Germanic, Gothic and Proto-Slavic cultures.

From the Achaemenid Era up to the Khwarazmian Dynasty the Balkan province remained part of the Persian Empire (or whatever name it was called at different times). It became the “Khanate of Khiva that existed in the historical region of Khwarezm from 1511 to 1920, except for a period of Afsharid occupation by Nadir Shah between 1740–1746. It covered present western Uzbekistan, southwestern Kazakhstan and much of Turkmenistan before Russian arrival at the second half of the 19th century. The discovery of gold on the banks of the Amu Darya during the reign of Russia's Peter the Great, together with the desire of the Russian Empire to open a trade route to India, prompted an armed trade expedition to the region in 1717-18, led by Prince Alexander Bekovich-Cherkassky and consisting of 750-4,000 men. Upon receiving the men, the Khivan khan, Shir Ghazi, set up camp under the pretence of goodwill, then ambushed and slaughtered the envoys, leaving ten alive to send back.”

It could have been at this time that the Ersari Turkic tribes started migrating eastward. The British and Russians tried many times thereafter to annex the area, but it would ultimately be the Russians who would succeed when they set up a permanent presence from 1848. This could also explain why the Beshir carpets ceased to be produced. The people either moved away or ceased to exist. In 1924 after its last Kungrad Kahn abdicated it was incorporated into the Soviet Union until 1991 when it became Turkmenistan officially. Apart from the empires that occupied the territory there were many influences from the Khalaj, Igdi, Sogdians and Kara Tatars.

Up to now we discussed the historical traces and possible influences in the region, but it still is not enough information to find out who wove the Beshir carpets. Shervin Ghorbany started to investigate this mystery without any predetermined conclusions and with a more forensic approach which led him to the following theory:

1 – Beshir carpets in the beginning, 17th century examples, were woven with a freer, less dense design than its successors. This already gives some clues to Shervin that we are probably dealing with a Persian tribe as opposed to a Turkic tribe of the region.

2 – The more recent Beshir carpets became denser in design and the patterns became smaller, which proves that the carpets became Turkemenized, however, the overall style of the carpet remains Persian and therefore lots of scholars call it Persianized Turkman carpets. There is a big difference in how we look at this category carpet. Shervin looks at it as originally Persian tribal carpets that became Turkemenized versus the general accepted idea that it was Turkman carpets that became Persianite over time.

3 – The colour of the Beshir carpets is vastly different than the rest of the Turkman carpets. In Shervin’s point of view there was someone amongst the weavers with the knowledge on dyeing wool according to Persian custom and/or it was a label for a specific group of people that made these carpets amongst the Turkic tribes. To understand this point you should understand that during history groups of people were often prohibited from using certain colours either in their clothing or art, or they were forced to wear or use certain colours as identification. This usually occurred when they were regarded as an inferior race or class, or oppressed.

4 – Besides the points in No. 3, the majority of the Beshir carpets are wide runners. It looks like the people that made these carpets did not have the freedom or the space to make any other size or shape carpets. It could also indicate that they did not live like the normal Turkman in a tent, because there isn’t even a band carpet (normally used to drape around the nomadic tents) available in the Beshir carpets.

5 – Considering all these points, Shervin is of the opinion that we might be dealing with a tribe that was held captive for many years in the Turkman territories – the current Balkan Province.

6 – According to the history the Tekke Turkman were well known raiders in the Balkan Province, then the Khanate of Khiva, who regularly attacked villages and caravans and would then sell the occupants as slaves in Khiva. Majority of these unlucky traveller/merchants/residents were Persians. There were also some Russian slaves but they were in the minority. The treatment of the Persian slaves are well documented as horrific and inhumane. They were definitely regarded as a lesser class than the general populace in the area.

Could these Persian slaves have been responsible for weaving the Beshir that so closely resembled some Persian designs and colouring, and using the Persian knot (opening to the right)? According to accounts they were kept outside so the Beshir could have been their weaving for their own personal use as carpets to live on, sleep on and eat on; which could explain the fact that the Beshir carpets are mostly wide runners. The Russians and British became very involved in the area with freeing slaves towards the late 19th century which could explain why the Beshir is no longer woven since then. The Persian slaves were freed and they took their secrets with them.
By Shervin & Vanessa Ghorbany

Sources:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bashkortostan
• https://en.wikipedia.org/…/Mal%27ta%E2%80%93Buret%27_culture
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamna_culture
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poltavka_culture
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sintashta_culture
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turan
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afrasiab_painting
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khwarezm
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelteminar_culture
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitanni
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andronovo_culture
• http://www.karakalpak.com/qarshins.html
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurgan_hypothesis
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tazabagyab_culture
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khalaj_people
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hephthalite_Empire
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balkh
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bactria
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_peoples
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kipchaks
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimek_tribe
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khanate_of_Khiva
• http://www.khiva.info/gb/history/freeings.htm

Kashan is also these days favoured as a top tourist destination with many incredible buildings and estate houses built by very influential families during the Qajar Dynasty, most notable is the Tabātabāei House, the Boroujerdi House and the Attarha house. The first two mentioned houses were designed by Ali Maryam, a very famous architect at the time, with some traces of the advice of Saniol Molk and later his nephew, Kamalol Molk, both top painters of the Qajar period. Prior to the Qajar Dynasty and earthquake levelled nearly the entire city and for a good few decades the city was in derelict state until the Qajars decided to rebuild and renew the once bustling economic hub. The mosques, bazaar and many other public buildings in Kashan thus showcase the exquisite architecture of the Qajar Era.

One of the affluent families in Kashan in the late 1800’s to mid-1900’s were the Attarhas. The two Attarha brothers were top merchants of Kashan at the time and were so successful in their endeavours that one of them were given the title of “Malakol Tojar”, translated to King of the Merchants. This brother built an estate home for his family which came to be known as the Attarha House. The family exerted their influence in the business world of the city and was also responsible for commissioning and financing many Persian carpets. One of his sons, Javad, later became the mayor of Kashan and inhabited the family home, together with his wife and four sons, until the Pahlavi Dynasty. At that time the family moved out of the stately home, but it was later occupied again by one of Javad’s sons, possibly Mahsoud, who renovated the home. Later the home was donated to the city of Kashan, like most of the other estate houses, and it became part of the Architecture University of Kashan. Today it is occupied as a study centre of Persian carpets by the Kashan University.

The carpet in our collection of Ahmad Shah, the last king of the Qajar Dynasty, is one of the carpets commissioned by the Attarha brother at the time that he held the title of Malakol Tojar – King of the Merchants. There is a woven inscription stating that the carpet was commissioned by the Attarha Brothers.

These days you will find the Gilaki people there and even their origins are quite mysterious because there isn’t a lot of ancient information available on them, apart from the fact that they lived in the mountains and then moved down to the valley over time.

It is thanks to Shah Abbas and a Chinese merchant that Rasht became a flourishing economic hub. The route through Rasht was the “Gateway to the West” and many goods flowed through there. Thus, when the Chinese merchant brought along a silk worm a whole new industry was born, that of silk textiles. Shah Abbas, a very important patron of weaving in the Safavid Era, made Rasht the capital of the Gilan province and promoted the production of silk textiles at a time when Europe and the East were infatuated with each other's goods. Even after becoming economically important in the Eastern-Western trade relations Rasht maintained its’ village feel and look. Some visitors in the 18th century mentioned that, compared to the other big cities in Iran, Rasht appears more as a big village than a city. It had no boundary wall enveloping the city and the bazaar was in the open air, as opposed the undercover bazaars in Iran. The city was surrounded with wetlands, forests, rice paddies, mulberry plantations and silkworm nurseries.

Today the silk textile industry in Rasht is still a large part of life, together with producing rice and caviar – the best in the world according to many connoisseurs. Our Rugdealer’s own maternal great grandfather owned silk factories in Rasht for many years before returning to Tehran. The embroidery in this photo (circa 1900) is an antique Rashti embroidery showcasing the Tree of Life, Vase design and Lion and Sun design and is exclusively available at Ghorbany Carpets and a definite must for any collectors or embroidery lovers.

A neighbour to Iran that has been part of the Persian Empire for centuries, Afghanistan, also started making picturesque carpets, but theirs are very different in subject. The Afghan weavers are also known for their fine weaving skills, but during the decade of Soviet invasion in the country, their topic of choice became their daily lives and what they observed. Call it a silent witness, call it defiance, call it social media of the day, call it realism art. Whatever you call it, it was their tale to tell through their weaving. Changing from their traditional pattern to the realities of war was their way of coping with what was happening around them and being able to still make a living.

For centuries weavers have known how to weave symbolism into their carpets in disguise during periods of regime or religious changes. Take for instance the all too popular 8 leafed flowers that are found in almost every carpet, this used to be the 8 point star of Mithraism revered as a holy symbol but banned once the Mithraic followers were persecuted. The sickle leaf was once a fish, also a holy Mithraic symbol. So too did the Afghan weavers disguise the objects of war in their carpets.

At first they included gentle representations of bombs, hand grenades, etc. in between their traditional designs. Those who noticed it was not in favour of this display of war in art, because the face of war is never comfortable to look at. But once the historical value of these pieces became apparent, its appeal grew, especially in the West. Soon the subtle designs changed into blunt, truthful “pictures”/mirrors of what the general Afghani populace were experiencing. To put the picture into perspective here: An estimated 2 million Afghan civilian deaths occurred, 5–10 million Afghans fled to Pakistan and Iran, 2 million more were displaced within the country.

Firearms, tanks, helicopters, explosions, they were all put on display in the new Afghan rugs. Once the Western market demanded more, maps of Afghanistan and English wording, such as the names of the weaponry and region, were also included. Because many of the weavers are not skilled English speakers the spelling is often wrong and that adds to the specialness of these creations.

After the Russians left there were much internal turmoil in Afghanistan and later when the USA started spreading propaganda for change, after 2001, a new wave of Afghan War Carpets saw the light. This time with pictures of the Twin Towers burning. Again it was not something people wanted to see, but the Afghans used the flyers dropped by the USA as their framework for these carpets. It is difficult to see ourselves reflected back to us, but sometimes we need to look at us as the human collective and what we do to each other. The Afghans have captured their war into their art and so cemented it in time as a reminder to us all.

Pictured here is an Afghan War Rug in the Ghorbany Private Collection

In Iran it is not uncommon to find two villages literally located 5km apart that speak two entirely different languages and weave carpets that are entirely different in design, method and colouring, despite these villages having co-existed for centuries. Yet there is a common thread in carpets woven in the vast “North West”. Even if a carpet dealer cannot pinpoint the exact city/village, the carpets woven in the North West can easily be detected. How can this be in this very distinct business where weavers religiously retain the designs and methods of their ancestors?

Centuries ago as far back as the Achaemenid period of Iran, a satrap existed in the North West that was a province of Media, later called Atropatkan. Its governor Atropates, was a successful noble man and trader. Atropatkan was home to a very diverse community that included Turks, Kurds, Armenians, Persians and Jews and the capital city Ganzak (meaning “treasury” in old Median language) was built by the Achaemenids. The region stretched as far up as Azerbaijan and Armenia today. When Alexander the Great started his campaign of invasion into Persia, King Darius III fled to Atropatkan and Atropates hosted him and gave him refuge until he fled further to Bactria where he was assassinated by his own cousin. Alexander initially appointed Oxydates as satrap of Atropatkan, but later reappointed Atropates when he lost faith in the loyalties of Oxydates. Atropates practiced a quiet neutrality which made the province even more successful and desirable as gateway between Eastern and Western trade.

After Alexander’s death the province of Media was divided into two parts and the smaller North West region was again given to Atropates to rule. At some point thereafter, Atropates refused to convey allegiance to the diadochi and made his part of Media an independent kingdom. The dynasty Atropates founded would rule the kingdom for several centuries, at first either as an independent kingdom or as vassals of the Seleucids, then as vassals of the Arsacids/Parthians, into whose house they are said to have married. The dynasty even survived the Arab invasion after which Atropatkan became a vassal of the Rashidun Caliphate.

The capital of Atropatkan, Ganzak, was first almost entirely destroyed by the Romans/Byzantines and eventually totally during the Medieval Era. The great city that is said to once have hosted 3,000 homes was no more and with it all its history disappeared. To this day it is not clear where exactly the city was, but it is believed to have existed somewhere in the Miandoab plane in the West Azerbaijan province of Iran, the same area that some archaeologists believe to have been the biblical garden of Eden. Even the name Azerbaijan is derived from Atropatkan. To this day the Turks, Kurds, Armenians, Jews and Persians still co-exist like they have for centuries and as such have greatly influenced each other's art that is produced in this area. Even after Azerbaijan and Armenia were no longer part of Iran, the same common thread still ran through the entire area and the carpets from the North West still quietly reflects its shared history in every village and every town.

Sources:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darius_III
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greco-Persian_Wars
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azerbaijan
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atropates
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atropatene
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganzak
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leylan
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miandoab
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Azerbaijan_Province

Recently a monument was built paying homage to Arraiolos' needlewomen. The author of the monument justifies it: "(the embroiderers) patiently dominated the motifs of birds, flowers, medallions, geometrical bars, developing a decorative art that settled in the daily life of population. Carpets are intimately related to the way of life and sociability of Arraiolos providing unique moments of familiarity: we see groups of women sitting in the shade of the houses and walls, in the long and bright days, patiently embroidering rugs then installed in the interior of homes. The needlewomen are, still today, the foundation of a cultural circuit that connects the house to the street and Arraiolos to the rest of the world."

This famous Portuguese craft, however, was imported from Spain. There are no documents explaining the exact history but legend has it that the craft of embroidering carpets came with the Jews and Moors that were expelled by Queen Isabella from Spain. In 1492 she issued a decree by which all Jews and Moors were given three months to convert to Christianity or leave Spain. They were allowed to take their possessions with, but all gold, silver and coins were to be left in Spain. It therefore stands to reason that the Jews, who have been involved in making carpets for thousands of years, would use this skill to create an income in their new abode. Many Jews and Moors were given refuge by the Ottoman Empire who even sent ships to help them move, but some went West and landed in the beautiful village of Arraiolos. It is here were they taught the local citizens the art of embroidery and making carpets until 1511 when Portugal too expelled all Jews and Moors.

Since then the Portuguese needlewomen have continued this art, at first using the azulejo designs (a form painted tin-glazed ceramic tilework) and later developing their own designs.

Recently the largest Arraiolos carpet was completed. This project began in 2010 and ended over hundreds of working days and half a million stitches later. It is now in the collection of the National Museum Machado de Castro.

References:

• http://www.feelingstitchy.com/2012/07/arraiolos-needlewomen-connecting-house.html
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alhambra_Decree
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azulejo
• http://imenso-sul-alentejo.blogspot.co.za/2013/03/rugs-from-arraiolos.html
• http://www.cm-arraiolos.pt/pt/site-visitar/tapetes%20de%20arraiolos/Paginas/O-Maior-Tapete-de-Arraiolos-feito-em-Arraiolos.aspx

In the late 19th century when archaeology became an organized science the paintings of Renaissance painters became much more important in the world of Oriental carpets. It was a period in which scientists and collectors alike took an interest into preserving Oriental carpets. All this started when Julius Lessing, a German art historian and the first director of the Berliner Kunstgewerbemuseum, wrote a book on Oriental carpet designs in 1871. He mainly used Renaissance paintings with Oriental carpets in it to compile this book, since collecting Oriental carpets did not yet exist.

The precise realism practiced by Renaissance artists during the 15th and 16th centuries resulted in them producing much more realistic paintings of the actual setting that they were painting. In those days it was only the Royals and Elite that could afford Oriental carpets and have their portraits painted in their finest dress surrounded by their valuables that naturally included their unique Oriental rugs. The painters’ precision showcased the carpets’ finest details that made it possible for Julius Lessing to date the carpets in his book. With the aid of these paintings and the knowledge of who painted it and when, he and his successors developed the “ante quem” method for dating Oriental carpets. It would be this work that would start the antique trade in Oriental carpets in earnest, since many people then realized that their family heirlooms was in fact much older and much more valuable than they knew.

Many famous painters used Oriental carpets in their paintings and due to the lack of classification of Oriental carpets in the Renaissance era, the specific type of carpets used by them was named after them. The more famous of these are: Holbein, Lotto, Memling, Bellini, Crivelli, Ghirlandaio, Van Eyck and Petrus Christus. As surviving pieces of these painters’ carpets were found, they were allocated the appropriate names based on where they were woven and by whom.

As is always the case it is the artists that preserve history for future generations and thanks to their art we can recollect how our ancestors lived and what was important to them.
By Vanessa Ghorbany

References

• https://en.wikipedia.org/…/Oriental_carpets_in_Renaissance_…

It was given the name Cintamani because some scholars have tried to link the design with the three stones of Buddha, since the Ottoman Empire had strong trading links with the East and it would make some sense to assume that the rug weavers of old might have found the symbol appealing. So popular was this design that it was used in the garments of the elite and the Royal courts of the Ottoman Empire. Many Cintamani carpets were commissioned by the Sultans and the rule of thumb is that if the three circles were placed on top of the wavy lines, it was a Royal Ottoman carpet. If the three circles were placed under the wavy lines it was a normal Anatolian carpet. Naturally the Royal commissions had a higher value.

The three circles grouped in a triangle is indeed a very sacred symbol in Buddhism. According to legend the “mani stone” is one of four relics that came in a chest that fell from the sky during the reign of king Lha Thothori Nyantsen of Tibet. Though the king did not understand the purpose of the objects, he kept them in a position of reverence. Several years later, two mysterious strangers appeared at the court of the king, explaining the four relics, which included the Buddha's bowl (possibly a Singing Bowl) and a mani stone with the Om Mani Padme Hum mantra inscribed on it. These few objects were the bringers of the Dharma to Tibet. The Buddhist trinity consist of Buddha, Dharma and Shangha and these three states are represented by the three circles grouped in a triangle.

We find legends of three sacred treasures in many civilizations, believed to be given by the gods or representing the gods. The Three Sacred Treasures of Japan for instance, consist of the sword Kusanagi, the mirror Yata no Kagami and the jewel Yasakani no Magatama. The regalia represent the three primary virtues: valor (the sword), wisdom (the mirror), and benevolence (the jewel). It is believed that the Emperor was chosen by god and given these three treasures to safeguard him and ensure his success as ruler. What is interesting here is that the Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol for the star, Sirius, closely resembles these three objects, being an obelisk (sword), a half circle (mirror) and a star (jewel). Sirius is the brightest star in our night sky and it disappears every year for seventy days, but reappears just before the summer solstice and annual flooding of the Nile. Due to this occurrence, Sirius’s appearance was very important to the Ancient Egyptians who worshipped Sirius as the goddess Sopdet, the goddess of fertility.

The sacred or holy trinity is no stranger in the world. From the holy trinity in the Semitic religions to the three physical stages of life (represented by the spiral of life that looks quite similar to the cintamani), the body, mind and soul concepts, the mother, father, child trinity and even the electron, neutron and proton trinity. It is quite interesting that Memling, a German painter in the 15th century, painted Christ with a cintamani amulet around his neck. But the cintamani was also used in art in other civilizations in the world. The Etruscans, Romans, Greeks and even Mesoamericans used the cintamani design to decorate their textiles, arts, pottery, etc. centuries BC.

The cintamani seems to have been a universal symbol used by everyone and was again made popular in 1935 by Nicholas Roerich who proposed the symbol for the banner of peace that was accepted as an international pact for the protection of culture values. The Banner proposed had on the white background three united amaranth spheres as a symbol of Eternity and Unity that very closely resembles the cintamani. On further investigation, the Amaranth seeds was of utmost importance to the Mesoamericans as their staple food and source of energy. Another important use of amaranth throughout Mesoamerica was to prepare ritual drinks and foods. To this day, amaranth grains are toasted much like popcorn and mixed with honey, molasses, or chocolate to make a treat called alegría, meaning "joy" in Spanish. Because of its importance as a symbol of indigenous culture, its gluten-free palatability, ease of cooking, and a protein that is particularly well-suited to human nutritional needs, interest in grain amaranth revived in the 1970s. The seeds, leaves, stems and roots of the Amaranth is edible and even the flowers were used as a red dye by the Hopi Indians. From antiquity the amaranth plant was linked to immortality because it is an unwilting plant. In ancient Greece, the amaranth was sacred to Ephesian Artemis. It allegedly had special healing properties, and, as a symbol of immortality, was used to decorate images of the gods and tombs. The Chinese used amaranth widely for its healing chemicals, treating illnesses such as infections, rashes, and migraines. There is even some talk that it grew in the Garden of Eden next to the Tree of Life. And so the list of its fame and uses goes on.

Whether the cintamani is an ancient religious symbol or linked to the immortal amaranth we will never know for sure, since there is not a lot of information available on the creation of the symbol. It has somehow captured our imagination through the ages and has almost a calming effect, with three being a holy number. It certainly makes for very attractive carpets and textiles.

References:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirius#Serer_religion
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaranth
• https://awitchylife.wordpress.com/…/the-meaning-of-the-spi…/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_carpet
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cintamani
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banner_of_Peace
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Regalia_of_Japan
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Memling
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banner_of_Peace
• http://www.green-man-of-cercles.org/articles/cintamani.pdf

Up to the 12th century a magnitude of Persian carpets made its way to the Scandinavian countries, but from there on the Swedish developed their own techniques in weaving carpets for domestic use. At first they wove kilims, called Rollakans, that mimicked the Oriental designs, but with limited dyes available, it was mostly woven in white, black and grey, the natural tones of sheep wool. Later on, another technique was developed, called Rya, or as we know it today, the shaggy rug. Using knots taught to them by their Eastern trading partners, the Swedish developed their own style of piled carpets. They were warmer than their Oriental cousins and could also be used on the walls, floors and especially as bed covers. Some were even worn as coats. It became a versatile domestic item, a blanket at night and a floor covering during the day.

For the seafaring Vikings the Ryas were priceless items at sea, because even when it got wet, it still provided the necessary heat. Ryas formed part of the trousseau of eligible ladies to be wed and not only formed part of the marriage ceremony but also reflected the initials of the bride and groom, the date of the wedding, a set of double hearts, and symbols and signs that represented the groom’s and the bride’s families. Wedding Ryas were extremely important, and perhaps represent the most distinct development in Scandinavian rug-making. Oriental themes were incorporated into the finest Scandinavian rugs, with the Tree of Life motif featuring most prominently. A standby in Persian rugs, the Tree of Life symbol was adapted by the rug-makers of Scandinavia to represent family trees and ties.

Today the Rollakan and Rya rugs from Sweden is still very popular with many artists designing exquisite geometric and colourful designs.

Sources:

• http://www.ryijy.com/history.html
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_carpets_and_rugs
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scandinavian_rugs

 The Pazyryk carpet was discovered in 1946 underneath the snow of Siberia in the burial chamber of what is believed to be a Scythian prince, a member of the Pazyryk tribe. Since then more excavations were done and more burial chambers discovered, so artfully built and exquisitely decorated with treasure, it became crystal clear that the Pazyryks were an intricate culture and a force to be reckoned with in the region. The ‘Princess of Ukok’ is the mummy of a young woman found in 1993 in Altai. She’s believed to have been a shaman or spiritual leader of the nomadic Pazyryk people from 2500 years ago. Her body is covered in well-preserved tattoos. According to Novosibirsk scientist Natalia Polosmak “Compared to all tattoos found by archeologists around the world, those on the mummies of the Pazyryk people are the most complicated, and the most beautiful. It is a phenomenal level of tattoo art. Incredible.”

The treasures found in various burial tombs of the Pazyryks have revealed supreme workmanship in all their crafts, from their clothing to their horse-riding gear and weaponry, all on show at the State Hermitage Museum in Russia. Their advanced skills in weaving and embroidery and extreme attention to detail, surprised many and is testament that the weaving industry is by far older than previously estimated. A large embroidered wall hanging made of felt (that fits into a glass case of 8m x1m x 5.5m) reveals a majestic animated scene of a horse rider riding to a goddess holding flowers. The images look extremely modern even according to today’s digital design standards.

These were a proud people, nomadic superior horsemen and women who were also a warrior tribe. Some believe the legendary Amazons were from this tribe. They were constantly in battle for land and would eventually encounter the might Persians along the way. It was in one of their battles with Persia that King Cyrus would be fatally wounded. They did become part of the Persian Empire eventually and the Pazyryk carpet shows many similarities with the stone carvings in Persepolis. How wonderful it is that our arts and crafts outlive us all and give glimpses into the past by those lucky enough to find it at some point in the future.

Sources:

• The Russian Hermitage Museum
• The Russian Times
• Ancient Origins
• Wikipedia, Graphic Design in Persian Carpets

One such artefact that survived is the tile. Centuries ago it was the decoration above all decorations that showcased the advancement, skill and pride of an empire from miles away. It was the first impression visitors got of a place before a word was even spoken.

One of the earliest remaining examples of decorative tiles can still be seen in the Chogha Zanbil zuggarat in Iran. It was an Elamite temple and dates back to around 13th century BC. There are many other examples of this in the Ancient world, especially Egypt and Mesopotamia and a recreation of the exquisite Ishtar gate of Mesopotamia was made at the Pergamom Museum in Berlin, to give us an understanding of just how magnificent these empires and their creations were.

In the beginning each tile was glazed with one colour and a pattern or design built with it, but in later centuries the designs on each tile became more complex. It is especially during the Islamic Era in Iran that the decoration of special buildings, especially mosques, took on a whole other life. Mathematics, science and sacred geometry were used in all forms of art since these disciplines were the only accepted proof of the magnificence of the Creator and the result is works of art that still take our breaths away. It was also believed that these exact measurement and shapes lent magical properties to buildings. This was borrowed from older religions of Iran where priests were not just spiritual guides but also highly advanced mathematicians, astronomers, scientists, inventors, healers, teachers, philosophers and alchemists who understood the powers behind Creation. Persian carpets too were created using specific mathematical measurements, scientific methods and sacred geometrical shapes with the same understanding, and its designs became the blueprint for tile designs centuries later.

The girih tile method used (which actually translates to “knot” in Farsi and is a perfect example of Islamic tile art) is piece-wise straight lines which cross the boundaries of the tiles at the center of an edge at 54° (3π/10) to the edge. Two intersecting girih cross each edge of a tile. Most tiles have a unique pattern of girih inside the tile which are continuous and follow the symmetry of the tile. However, the decagon has two possible girih patterns one of which has only fivefold rather than tenfold rotational symmetry. The girih tilings possessed properties consistent with self-similar fractal quas icrystalline tilings. This is quite extraordinary since such properties were only discovered in recent times with the invention of the microscope. The Buddhist mandala holds similar properties.

Through the Islamic expansion into Spain the skill to create glazed tiles was passed on and the Spanish added their own flair and favourite colouring. This influenced tile designs in all of Europe, worth noting is the Portuguese and Dutch Delft tiles. When the Spanish conquered the Americas, they passed this skill on to the Mayans. Mexico is rich in natural resources and the most common was and still is clay. The town of Puebla established in 1531 was home to Mexico best quality clay material. It quickly became a center of pottery and earthenware tile production of colonial Mexico. The most prominent type of Mexican pottery and tile was called Talavera introduced by Spanish monks during the sixtieth century. At the time they were in great need of Spanish earthenware products. As a result they invited to Mexico craftsmen from Talavera de le Reina. The Spanish craftsmen introduced talavera ceramic production techniques to indigenous population of Puebla. It was a beginning of Mexican tiles used throughout the centuries for decorating public buildings, churches and monasteries.

The city of Kashan is still the capital of tile making in Iran. In fact, the word for tile in Farsi is “kashi” referring to its place of origin. Even though Kashan itself dates from the Elamite period around 7,000 years ago, its tile industry only really took shape during the Islamic Art Era and still thrives today. All the exquisite and magnificent buildings in Iran are mostly decorated with tiles produced in this city.

Sources:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Tile
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Ishtar_Gate
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Girih_tiles
• http://www.mexican-tile.net/ Talavera_Tiles_History-W4.aspx

In Christian, Judaic and Islamic beliefs the tree of life stood in the Garden of Eden and Adam and Eve was banished from the garden to prevent them from eating the fruits of this tree, after disobeying God’s command. In the “Life of Adam and Eve”, it tells how Adam falls ill many centuries after banishment and is in pain. Seth and Eve travel to the doors of the Garden to beg for some oil of the tree of mercy (i.e. the Tree of Life). Archangel Michael refuses to give them the oil at that time, but promises to give it at the end of time, when all flesh will be raised up, the delights of paradise will be given to the holy people and God will be in their midst.

In Persian and Zoroastrianian legends, the mighty Gaokerena was a mythic Haoma plant that had healing properties when eaten and gave immortality to the resurrected bodies of the dead. In Egyptian mythology, Isis and Osiris are said to have emerged from the acacia tree of Iusaaset, which the Egyptians considered the tree of life, referring to it as the "tree in which life and death are enclosed." A much later myth relates how Set and 72 conspirators killed Osiris, putting him in a coffin, and throwing it into the Nile, the coffin becoming embedded in the base of a tamarisk tree. The Egyptians' Holy Sycamore also stood on the threshold of life and death, connecting the two worlds. In India the Bodhi tree is believed to be the tree under which Buddha sat when he became enlightened and the tree has been revered and the place of pilgrimage ever since. The Assyrian Tree of Life was represented by a series of nodes and criss-crossing lines. It was an important religious symbol, often attended to in Assyrian palace reliefs by human or eagle-headed winged genies, or the King, and blessed or fertilized with bucket and cone. A Taoist story tells of a tree that produces a peach every three thousand years. The one who eats the fruit receives immortality.

Another related issue in ancient mythology of Iran is the myth of Mashyа and Mashyane, two trees who were the ancestors of all living beings. The ancient Sumerian God Dammuzi was personified as a tree, as is the Hindu Brahman. According to Mesoamerican cultures the World Tree is said to dwell in three worlds: Its roots reach down to the underworld, its trunk sits on the Earth, and its branches extend up to the heavens. Many cultures share a belief that this tree is the Axis Mundi or World Axis which supports or holds up the cosmos. Yggdrasil is an immense ash tree that, according to Nordic beliefs, is center to the cosmos and considered very holy.The branches of Yggdrasil extend far into the heavens, and the tree is supported by three roots that extend far away into other locations; one to the well Urðarbrunnr in the heavens, one to the spring Hvergelmir, and another to the well Mímisbrunnr. It is said that Yggdrasil connects all nine worlds.

The ancients knew and understood the symbolism and secrets of the tree of life and how it also relates to our human bodies. Pictures of the neural pathways in the brain shows how similar they are to the roots of a tree. Our spinal cord represents the stem of a tree and our reproductive system, ofcourse, represent our human fruit. The spiritualists have compared the tree of life also to our spiritual bodies and how we can attain balance via our kundalini (our vital essence) through our spinal cord and all the chakras and pineal gland (the gate of the Garden of Eden). The Kabbala tree of life visually or conceptually, represents as a series of divine emanations God's creation itself ex nihilo, the nature of revealed divinity, the human soul, and the spiritual path of ascent by man. In this way, Kabbalists developed the symbol into a full model of reality, using the tree to depict a map of Creation.

Sources:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_of_Adam_and_Eve
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaokerena
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_of_life
• http://kemo-d7.livejournal.com/435627.html
• http://jungiangenealogy.weebly.com/cosmic-tree.html
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_of_life_(Kabbalah)

The Sasanian dynasty was well known for its silk textiles produced with very fine images and one of the images that would stand out above any other is the pear roundel design. It was a repetition of medallions encircled with a border of 20 pearl shapes. It generally had two figures (mainly griffins or winged lions) inside mirroring each other with a tree of life dividing the two halves. In the Sasanian Empire, where Zoroastriasm was the main religion, this symbol were of high significance because the medallion represented the sun image as a statement to One God (the ring of pearls symbolizes light radiated by the sun). The griffins or winged lions was a symbols of protection and regal power, or to be chosen by God. The tree of life is one of the major symbols in both Eastern and Western art. It defines the formal and substantial organization of the Universe. In different cultures the tree was understood as a model of the world, it’s centre, a vertical axis of power, and a basis of all vital processes, symbolizing growth, health, happiness, fertility, etc. These textiles with the pearl roundel design became a great and very popular export item for the Sasanids.

In between the Sasanid dynasty and China lived an Iranian tribe called the Sogdians who became very experienced merchants because they were based on the Silk Road and many goods passed through. They were also expert craftsman and weavers and realizing the popularity of the Sasanid pearl roundel textiles, they too started producing it. Due to their relations with Europeans, they realized that the pearl roundel appeals to all religious dominations, not for religious values but for secular class values. So, they adjusted the design a little to make it more secular and commercial assuring a wider customer base. The lion (without winges) was introduced in the medallion because a lion, the king of beasts, is often used both in the East, and in the West, personifying power and prosperity. It is one of the most used symbols of force throughout thousands years. Wearing clothes with the figure of a lion was understood everywhere as a personification of supreme power and glory. We can assume that the popularity of the lion in European flags and coats of arms, came from this initiative of the Sogdians.

Next, the ram was introduced in designs. In Zoroastriasm it is a divine sign, and means benefit, good luck, imperial glory, power, charisma, magnificence, etc. Thus, the ram became the divine entity bringing wealth and might, an embodiment of majestic force. The Zoroastrian concept of the ram was alien to Christians, therefore the image of a ram corresponded with the concept of the Holy or sacrificial Lamb (that is the pure victim), the allegorical image of Christ. Carrying clothing with figures of a ram testified that their owner was chosen by God and became popular in the ruling elite

So, the Sogdians literally exploited a subject of elitism, stability and power in their fabrics’ decor, playing on the hidden and obvious desires of their powerful trading partners. The Christian Byzantine Empire, which had not left yet its "eastern" heritage, willingly adapted Sogdian symbols, transferring them further to the west. The images of predators and signs of power were not simply decor, they were the symbols meant to increase the power of clergy, military and feudal nobility, supporting their political ambitions. Sogdians produced symbols of the epoch that were in great demand and thus were widely distributed in any cultural and confessional environment. The universality of the Sogdian fabric design made these textiles key factors in symbolizing the political climate of this epoch.

References:

• Sogdian Textile Design: Political Symbols of an Epoch - by Elmira Gyul

The Navajo in America uses symbols for balancing/healing in their tribe, but instead of weaving it into a carpet they draw the symbols with sand on top of a skin or cloth. The medicine man draws a carpet with symbols of the sand, by letting the sand flow through his fingers in a controlled manner whilst chanting. The sand carpet contains symbols of healing and also of the Holy People. Based on the nature of balancing/healing required the medicine man will determine which symbols to draw and this requires years of training because the Navajo have between 600 to 1,000 different designs to use. The colours for the painting are usually accomplished with naturally coloured sand, crushed gypsum (white), yellow ochre, red sandstone, charcoal and a mixture of charcoal and gypsum (blue). Brown can be made by mixing red and black; red and white make pink. Other colouring agents include corn meal, flower pollen, or powdered roots and bark.

The accuracy of the medicine man’s sand carpet design will determine the effectiveness of the balancing/healing that the person wishes to achieve. The person who requires the balancing/healing sits in the middle of the carpet whilst the healing ceremony commences. The sand carpets are not viewed as lifeless drawings, but as living spiritual beings that must be respected greatly. During the balancing/healing ceremony the medicine man and tribe chants to invite the sand carpet (via the symbols in it) to interact with the person and assist with correcting the imbalances present in them. Depending on the severity of the imbalance up to 30 different sand paintings can be done for one balancing/healing and the chanting ceremonies can last for days, in which at least one new sand painting carpet must be drawn daily.

The paintings are destroyed after each ceremony. There are hardly any pictures available of these creations since the Navajo believe that the energies might be disturbed if strangers are allowed and the whole balancing/healing of a person solely depends on achieving the right energy balance. An esteemed Navajo master weaver and medicine man, Hosteen Klah, painted one of his sand carpets, but Navajo traditionalists view it as sacrilege, something to not be seen unless in a balancing/healing ceremony of the Navajo by the Navajo. A carpet was later woven of his painting by Mrs Sam Maurelito.

Sources:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandpainting
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hosteen_Klah

A hundred years later a chance meeting on a train between a vicar and another carpet manufacturer, Harry Dutfield, would result in the revival of the once famous Axminster carpets. Learning that no carpets have been made in Axminster since the terrible fire and having had difficulties with his own carpet business in Kidderminster due to the Depression and Unions, Dutfield secured land leases in Axminster to build a new factor, but after World War II raw materials were scares, so Dutfield bought a woollen mill at Buckfast that enabled him to establish the company on its original basis, being the complete "from fleece to floor" carpet maker.

The company has had a few famous purchases over the years: The company produced Axminster carpets for: the music room of the Royal Pavilion, Brighton; Chatsworth House; Powderham Castle; Saltram House; and Warwick Castle. King George III and Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz purchased Axminster carpets and also visited the factory. In 1800, the company made a 74-by-52-foot (23 m × 16 m) carpet for Mahmud II, the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, known today as the most famous Axminster Carpet of all, it was initially placed in the Topkapi Palace but then moved to the Defterdar Palace, where it became the property of Esma Sultan, the daughter of Sultan Mustapha III. To celebrate 250 years of carpet weaving in Axminster, in 2005 a commemorative rug was produced. Paraded by the company's weavers through the town, it was then blessed by the Bishop of Exeter and presented to the Earl of Devon. The carpet is now in Clarence House, the home of Prince Charles.
In July 2012,

Axminster Heritage Ltd bought the now Grade II listed former original carpet factory in which Thomas Whitty founded the company and wove the first carpets. Also in 2012, Axminster was awarded a Royal Warrant for the supply of goods and services to the Royal Household.

Even though new Axminster carpets are produced, it is the antique pieces that are quite collectible and highly sought after items.

References, Sources & Extracts:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axminster_Carpets
• http://www.axminster-carpets.co.uk/
• http://www.telegraph.co.uk/…/Axminster-Carpets-a-history.ht…

It is the weavers that became the first record keepers of tribes throughout the ages at a time when writing was not yet available all over the world and art was the only means of expression. The textiles, carpets and other woven items first included geometric shapes that represented the cosmos and the “way of creation”. Later other symbols were added, such as the symbols of specific deities or specific tribes or specific classes, as well as colour. Each colour carried with it a specific meaning and energy and in such a way a lot of unwritten history was recorded .

The deciphering of this language requires a translator and unfortunately through many wars and invasions most old textiles found cannot be decoded simply because the civilizations do not exist anymore and there are no other written documents that could help us understand what our ancestors intended with their symbols and colours thousands of years ago.

One such fascinating item is the quipu from the Incas. The quipu (meaning 'knot') is a recording device used in Andean civilizations at least as far back as Wari in the 7th century, but it is associated in particular with the administration of the Inca Empire. It consists of a length of rope from which numerous other threads are suspended, some of them with their own subsidiary offshoots. The length of each thread, its colour and the position of any knots in it can acquire specific meanings. Due to the lack of descendants who can understand the quipu we can only speculate what it was used for and how, the most favourable explanation being that it was some kind of accounting and calendar system, but there could be so much more information contained in it that might remain a mystery forever.

Other textiles produced by the Inca depicted designs that was specific to family groups and one of the reasons for repeated designs, was that textiles were often produced for the state as a tax and so textiles could be representative of specific communities and their cultural heritage. Just as today’s coins and stamps reflect a nation's history, so too Andean textiles offered recognisable motifs which either represented the specific communities making them or the imposed designs of the ruling Inca class ordering them.

In Qaxaca, Mexico, the fabrics produced are repeating the ancient Mayan notions of the circle of life, of rebirth, of time and space and of the forces of nature with their designs. The symbols that their ancestors would use are traditionally used in the weaver’s creations, often retaining their original meanings. The diamond that signified the universe now symbolizes the unison of the earth and the skies, snakes symbolize the rich, fertile land, and the toads, also known as musicians in the rain, signify the patron saints. Sometimes there is a butterfly added to the centre of the diamond motif, which symbolizes the sun, the centre of the Mayan universe.
By Vanessa Ghorbany

Excerpts:

• https://wildtussah.com/history-weaving-part-3-america/
• http://www.ancient.eu/article/791/

In 13th century Europe, a form of embroidery was done on coarsely woven linen fabric similar to canvas mesh. Tapestries, also popular in the middle-ages, were woven with vertical threads on a loom. By the 16th century, people began to imitate these art forms using a canvas background and the recently invented steel needles that allowed for more intricate work than the fishbone or thorn needles previously available. Needlepoint as it is known today originated in the 17th century, when the fashion for furniture upholstered with embroidered fabrics prompted the development of a more durable material to serve as the embroidery's foundation.

The list of historic needlepoint fans includes such famous names as Mary, Queen of Scots (who stitched extensively during her long imprisonment), Marie Antoinette and Queen Elizabeth I. During the reign of these royals, needlepoint was strictly a pastime of the leisure class. As time went on, its appeal gradually broadened to other parts of society.

The antique needlepoint in this picture is courtesy of the C John Rare Rugs Collection.

Extract:
http://www.worldofneedlepoint.org/history.html

All of a sudden the Ottoman Empire starts to crumble bit by bit after another failed attempt to invade Venice and for a moment Europe breathes a sigh of relief knowing that the dreaded invasion seems more unlikely by the day. The Silk Trade Route is still occupied by the Ottomans, so with their new found strength and freedom the European kingdoms set out to find other routes to East, because Europe’s taste for Oriental goods is insatiable. As often happens in times of extreme duress, the arts provide an escape for many and results in the production of some of the best artworks. This is exactly what happened. The Catholic Church realized the “threat” posed by the Protestants and in a bid to retain public support they decided to make Biblical stories and scenes available to the “mostly uneducated” general public in ways they could understand, in a time that art was only in the hands of the church, royalty and the wealthy. They commissioned painters and sculptors to produce new and more dramatic paintings and sculptures with more power, movement and drama than what was ever seen before. This was to be the start of the Baroque art era and from the Church’s lead, the elite and wealthy would follow. The Baroque art flowed into architecture and design and just like that Europe entered a new style era.

During that time Pierre DuPont, who obtained the knowledge of weaving a Turkish knot in the Levant, started producing his own carpets in Paris at a fraction of the cost of imported Persian carpets. Kind Henry IV, monarch of France, all too aware of France’s weak financial situation took advantage of this and allowed DuPont to set up his workshop in the Louvre. In so doing he ensured that the wealthy bought “local” and thus French money stayed in France. By the time King Louis XIII became the ruler the popularity of Monsieur DuPont’s carpets had grown, so the king procured a defunct soap factory for DuPont and his apprentice, Simon Lourdet, to set up a larger workshop to produce more carpets. The French word for soap is savon, so the carpets manufactured in the “soap factory” became known as Savonnerie carpets. The business belonged to the King and DuPont had the sole patent rights to produce these French carpets. King Louis XIII, entirely in love with the Baroque art, requested DuPont to change the design of the carpets to Baroque and so the carpet designs included more florals, swirls and curls, darker colours and more elaborate lines. Savonnerie carpets now had an original, proudly French design and so, French carpets became the new craze in Europe. The king offered it as gifts to other kings and the wealthy purchased the rest.

After the death of the king, the elite requested the French carpet weavers to use lighter colours and softer, more natural patterns, which led to the Rococo art era. Soon Royal commissions were sent to Aubusson as well for very large tapestries to be woven in the new Rococo style and instead of using it on the walls, it was now also used on the floor as flat weave carpets. Having survived much French upheaval and turmoil, the Savonnerie and Aubusson carpets adapted to the tastes and times, but its gentle demise by the late 19th century, would eventually be caused by the rekindled love affair between Europe and Persian carpets. It is a love affair that has survived to this day, but so too did nostalgia of the once great French carpets and they are now sought after antiques the world over. A wave of retro Savonnerie and Aubusson carpets also started again during the 20th century and these reproductions are once more in the market.