Persian gelims and flatweaves

Dale Whiteside

Persian flatweaves, unlike those of Turkey and North Africa, vary enormously as a result of the diverse origins of tribes, clans and regional groups that make up modern Iran. The “main tribal areas” and the towns and villages that serve as a repository for tribal migrations and resettlement are the Kurds, the Shahsavan, the Lurs, the Bakhtiari, the Khamsa, the Qashqai and the Afshar. There are also regional weaving areas and groups of tribes such as the Turkomans that produce distinctive weavings. <div class="article-img"><img src="http://www.carpetdiem.ca/files/shops/0000/0022/assets/carpetdiem-man.jpg" alt="" /> </div> The Kurds: Ethnically, the Kurds are Persian peoples, demographically living in the western Iranian provinces of Kurdistan and Kermanshah, with branches in the far north-east and in the eastern province of Khorassan. The Kurds of Bidjar: Bidjar is a market town on the edge of Kurdistan. A typical Bidjar gelim is long and narrow with woven on cotton and wool wefts. The Kurds of Khorasan: This branch of Kurds derive from two tribal groups; one from central Anatolia and the other from Karabakh. In 1602 they were moved to defend the north-eastern borders of Persia. Most now live in and around the towns of Qouchan, Shirivan and in Bojnourd near Mashhad, the capital of Khorasan province. Their flatweaves reflect elements of Caucasian and Anatolian ancestry with much inter-tribal copying of styles and compositions. Bags, trappings and other weavings are extensively produced in this area. The Shahsavan: Ethnically largely Turkic, but including some Kurd, Tajik and Georgian tribes, the Shahsavan (“loyal to the shah”) clans are now spread across north-west Iran. They produce a large quantity of gelims which are their most common floor coverings. The Shahsavan are also prolific weavers of bags and other tribal storage items which are still used in daily life. The main branches of the Shahsavan are: The Shahsavan of Moghan: The largest group of Shahsavan flatweaves come from the Moghan plain and are considered to be the most traditional of all in design. The gelims are long and narrow, and usually made in two halves loosely sewn together. The Shahsavan of Hashtrud: The Shahsavan winter in and around the town of Hashtrud and migrate north in the summer. Hashtrud gelims use paler dyes and pastels with simple finishes, influenced by their Kurdish neighbours. The Shahsavan of Mianeh: Mianeh gelims are longer and wider than those from Hastrud and the banded design are often scattered with motifs. The palette is wider, including yellow, orange, red, etc. The Shahsavan of Qazvin: Qazvin is a prolific gelim-weaving area of Iran. There is a small group of flatweaves that are distinctive, including a more obvious use of turmeric yellow. The Shahsavan of Saveh and Varamin: These towns are leading centres of flatweaving in Iran. Various tribal groups including the Shahsavan live in the area and there is overlapping in styles especially between the Afshar and Shahsavan. Gelims tend to be more rectangular than other weaves from north-west Iran and are well finished, often with a distinctive fringe. The Lurs: The Lurs descend from an ancient culture and are one of the few ethnic groups to have lived in Iran for at least three thousand years. Along with the Kurds, they are one of the original Iranian peoples. The Luri tribes are widely dispersed from the Iran-Iraq border across the Zagros Mountains to the Gulf plateau near Shiraz. Lur weavings have often been mistaken for the work of other groups from the southern regions. Lur designs are quite different from the Turkic tribes and other Persian tribal gelims. The Bakhtiari: The Bakhtiari are a sub-tribe of the Lurs and weave a variety of different and original designs with a definite identity. Most gelims and bags are used for carrying produce and possessions and are in daily use. The main feature of Bakhtiari gelims is their use of double-interlock weaving. This creates a very sharp division of colour and composition and a strong solid weave. They are renowned for their elaborate storage bags (khorjin) and salt bags (namakdan). <div class="article-img" style="float:left"><img src="http://www.carpetdiem.ca/files/shops/0000/0022/assets/carpetdiem-tent.jpg" alt="" /> </div> The Qashqai: The Qashqai consider themselves descendents of the Turkoman tribes and are traditional migrating nomads who move twice annually to summer and winter quarters. Their weavings are very distinctive, particularly their gelims which are perhaps the best known of all Persian flatweaves. A large variety of storage bags are also woven and serve as furniture in daily life. The Khamsa: The name of a political grouping of five southern tribes created in 1862, the Khamsa incorporate Turkic and Arabic speaking groups. These are settled tribes whose flatweaves are often sold in the Shiraz bazaar. There are subtle differences in weave, colour and finish to distinguish them from Qhashqhai pieces. The Afshar: The Afshar may be traced to the Oghuz Turks and are among the most scattered of the Turkic peoples. They can be found in Khuzestan in south-west Iran, in Kerman and Shirjan in central Iran, and in the north-eastern province of Khorasan. The Afshar of the province of Kerman produce a large number of knotted carpets, but also gelims. Afshar gelims feature many different motifs and designs. They are often densely woven in double-interlock technique with intricate Turkic motifs. Regional Weaving: Areas of Iran can be considered as regional weaving bases such as Kerman where the Afshar predominate along with other Turkic tribes. Kerman flatweaves are influenced strongly by Afshar, Qhashqhai and Luri work. The main regional weaving areas are: The region around Varamin and Garmsar where a number of tribal groups such as the Kurds, Lurs, Afshar, Shahsavan, Qhashqhai, Turkomen and Arabs have settled. This region has a long tradition of producing large, well-made gelims and very fine animal trappings. The towns of Hamadan and Harsin in northern Kurdistan are centres of prolific weaving. The gelims are most distinctive and fields range from deep pink to soft red with two or thee medallions. The towns of Zarand, Saveh and Qhazvin south-west of Tehran are known for their prolific production of flatweaves. Zarand gelims are long and narrow, finely woven with cotton warps using stepped slitweave and other techniques to produce fine, floral designs in the field. The Caucasus: Caucasian flatweaves are known for their dominant geometric compositions. Human figures, domestic and working animals and mythological creatures such as dragons and fantastic birds regularly appear. A common technique is weft wrapping (soumakh) which produces a tough thick gelim. Other techniques are also employed such as warp-faced patterning (jajim), supplementary weft (zili) and extra weft wrapping (verneh) appear in the Azerbaijan area of Iran. Shirivan gelims are distinctive and fall into two main categories; gelims without borders and those with small borders and small motifs arranged in rows over the gelim. The Turkoman Tribes: Members of this large and famous group of Central Asians have settled in Iran and are found in the area bounded by the Caspian Sea, the Amu Darya River, the Karakoram Mountains and the Kara Kum Desert, spreading into the steppes of northern Iran and Afghanistan. Until the late 19th C there was no formal barrier between Iran, Afghanistan and west Turkistan. The Turkomans are prolific weavers of fine carpets and flatweaves. The Yamut Turkoman are one of the main groups. Their gelims are large, rectangular and woven in one piece. The coloration is deep madder red with the predominate design of brocaded stylized guls (flowers) throughout the whole field. Turkoman tribes have their own stylized form of gul and are a form of tribal standard, important in the identification of the tribal group. The Uzbek: The Uzbeks are Turkic people reputedly of Uigur extraction. They are considered a political rather than ethnic group now mostly settled farmers rather than nomads. Uzbek flatweaves are entirely distinctive, often woven in warp-faced technique (qoudjeri) on long very narrow looms. The strips, packed with complex motifs, are sewn together selvedge to selvedge, creating a single textile of varying dimensions. Text and Photo credits: Anthony Hutt from Tribal Rugs by Jenny Housego, Scorpion Publications, London, 1978 and Kilim; The Complete Guide by Alastair Hull and Jose Luczyc-Wyhowska, Chronicle Books, U.S., 1993.

2006-04-18T15:41:04-04:00

persian-gelims-and-flatweaves 186

2006-04-18T15:41:04-04:00

Persian gelims and flatweaves 2006-11-14T10:39:44-05:00 Persian flatweaves, unlike those of Turkey and North Africa, vary enormously as a result of the diverse origins of tribes, clans and regional groups that make up modern Iran. The "main tribal areas" and the towns and villages that serve as a repository for tribal migrations and resettlement are the Kurds, the Shahsavan, the Lurs, the Bakhtiari, the Khamsa, the Qashqai and the Afshar. There are also regional weaving areas and groups of tribes such as the Turkomans that produce distinctive weavings. <div class="article-img"><img src="http://www.carpetdiem.ca/files/shops/0000/0022/assets/carpetdiem-man.jpg" alt="" /> </div> *The Kurds*: Ethnically, the Kurds are Persian peoples, demographically living in the western Iranian provinces of Kurdistan and Kermanshah, with branches in the far north-east and in the eastern province of Khorassan. *The Kurds of Bidjar*: Bidjar is a market town on the edge of Kurdistan. A typical Bidjar gelim is long and narrow with woven on cotton and wool wefts. *The Kurds of Khorasan*: This branch of Kurds derive from two tribal groups; one from central Anatolia and the other from Karabakh. In 1602 they were moved to defend the north-eastern borders of Persia. Most now live in and around the towns of Qouchan, Shirivan and in Bojnourd near Mashhad, the capital of Khorasan province. Their flatweaves reflect elements of Caucasian and Anatolian ancestry with much inter-tribal copying of styles and compositions. Bags, trappings and other weavings are extensively produced in this area. *The Shahsavan*: Ethnically largely Turkic, but including some Kurd, Tajik and Georgian tribes, the Shahsavan (“loyal to the shah”) clans are now spread across north-west Iran. They produce a large quantity of gelims which are their most common floor coverings. The Shahsavan are also prolific weavers of bags and other tribal storage items which are still used in daily life. The main branches of the Shahsavan are: *The Shahsavan of Moghan*: The largest group of Shahsavan flatweaves come from the Moghan plain and are considered to be the most traditional of all in design. The gelims are long and narrow, and usually made in two halves loosely sewn together. *The Shahsavan of Hashtrud*: The Shahsavan winter in and around the town of Hashtrud and migrate north in the summer. Hashtrud gelims use paler dyes and pastels with simple finishes, influenced by their Kurdish neighbours. *The Shahsavan of Mianeh*: Mianeh gelims are longer and wider than those from Hastrud and the banded design are often scattered with motifs. The palette is wider, including yellow, orange, red, etc. *The Shahsavan of Qazvin*: Qazvin is a prolific gelim-weaving area of Iran. There is a small group of flatweaves that are distinctive, including a more obvious use of turmeric yellow. *The Shahsavan of Saveh and Varamin*: These towns are leading centres of flatweaving in Iran. Various tribal groups including the Shahsavan live in the area and there is overlapping in styles especially between the Afshar and Shahsavan. Gelims tend to be more rectangular than other weaves from north-west Iran and are well finished, often with a distinctive fringe. *The Lurs*: The Lurs descend from an ancient culture and are one of the few ethnic groups to have lived in Iran for at least three thousand years. Along with the Kurds, they are one of the original Iranian peoples. The Luri tribes are widely dispersed from the Iran-Iraq border across the Zagros Mountains to the Gulf plateau near Shiraz. Lur weavings have often been mistaken for the work of other groups from the southern regions. Lur designs are quite different from the Turkic tribes and other Persian tribal gelims. *The Bakhtiari*: The Bakhtiari are a sub-tribe of the Lurs and weave a variety of different and original designs with a definite identity. Most gelims and bags are used for carrying produce and possessions and are in daily use. The main feature of Bakhtiari gelims is their use of double-interlock weaving. This creates a very sharp division of colour and composition and a strong solid weave. They are renowned for their elaborate storage bags (khorjin) and salt bags (namakdan). <div class="article-img" style="float:left"><img src="http://www.carpetdiem.ca/files/shops/0000/0022/assets/carpetdiem-tent.jpg" alt="" /> </div> *The Qashqai*: The Qashqai consider themselves descendents of the Turkoman tribes and are traditional migrating nomads who move twice annually to summer and winter quarters. Their weavings are very distinctive, particularly their gelims which are perhaps the best known of all Persian flatweaves. A large variety of storage bags are also woven and serve as furniture in daily life. *The Khamsa*: The name of a political grouping of five southern tribes created in 1862, the Khamsa incorporate Turkic and Arabic speaking groups. These are settled tribes whose flatweaves are often sold in the Shiraz bazaar. There are subtle differences in weave, colour and finish to distinguish them from Qhashqhai pieces. *The Afshar*: The Afshar may be traced to the Oghuz Turks and are among the most scattered of the Turkic peoples. They can be found in Khuzestan in south-west Iran, in Kerman and Shirjan in central Iran, and in the north-eastern province of Khorasan. The Afshar of the province of Kerman produce a large number of knotted carpets, but also gelims. Afshar gelims feature many different motifs and designs. They are often densely woven in double-interlock technique with intricate Turkic motifs. *Regional Weaving*: Areas of Iran can be considered as regional weaving bases such as Kerman where the Afshar predominate along with other Turkic tribes. Kerman flatweaves are influenced strongly by Afshar, Qhashqhai and Luri work. The main regional weaving areas are: The region around Varamin and Garmsar where a number of tribal groups such as the Kurds, Lurs, Afshar, Shahsavan, Qhashqhai, Turkomen and Arabs have settled. This region has a long tradition of producing large, well-made gelims and very fine animal trappings. The towns of Hamadan and Harsin in northern Kurdistan are centres of prolific weaving. The gelims are most distinctive and fields range from deep pink to soft red with two or thee medallions. The towns of Zarand, Saveh and Qhazvin south-west of Tehran are known for their prolific production of flatweaves. Zarand gelims are long and narrow, finely woven with cotton warps using stepped slitweave and other techniques to produce fine, floral designs in the field. *The Caucasus*: Caucasian flatweaves are known for their dominant geometric compositions. Human figures, domestic and working animals and mythological creatures such as dragons and fantastic birds regularly appear. A common technique is weft wrapping (soumakh) which produces a tough thick gelim. Other techniques are also employed such as warp-faced patterning (jajim), supplementary weft (zili) and extra weft wrapping (verneh) appear in the Azerbaijan area of Iran. Shirivan gelims are distinctive and fall into two main categories; gelims without borders and those with small borders and small motifs arranged in rows over the gelim. *The Turkoman Tribes*: Members of this large and famous group of Central Asians have settled in Iran and are found in the area bounded by the Caspian Sea, the Amu Darya River, the Karakoram Mountains and the Kara Kum Desert, spreading into the steppes of northern Iran and Afghanistan. Until the late 19th C there was no formal barrier between Iran, Afghanistan and west Turkistan. The Turkomans are prolific weavers of fine carpets and flatweaves. *The Yamut Turkoman* are one of the main groups. Their gelims are large, rectangular and woven in one piece. The coloration is deep madder red with the predominate design of brocaded stylized guls (flowers) throughout the whole field. Turkoman tribes have their own stylized form of gul and are a form of tribal standard, important in the identification of the tribal group. *The Uzbek*: The Uzbeks are Turkic people reputedly of Uigur extraction. They are considered a political rather than ethnic group now mostly settled farmers rather than nomads. Uzbek flatweaves are entirely distinctive, often woven in warp-faced technique (qoudjeri) on long very narrow looms. The strips, packed with complex motifs, are sewn together selvedge to selvedge, creating a single textile of varying dimensions. Text and Photo credits: Anthony Hutt from Tribal Rugs by Jenny Housego, Scorpion Publications, London, 1978 and Kilim; The Complete Guide by Alastair Hull and Jose Luczyc-Wyhowska, Chronicle Books, U.S., 1993.