Persian
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Persian Rugs the O'Connell
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Carpet Industry in the largest Province of Iran, Khorasan, & its center
Prepared by Fereidoun Haghighi
Iran Rug Company
The Historical and Geographical aspect of Khorasan province
The name "Khorasan" literally translated as "a place for rising sun" and also in old transcripts it refers to as the "Motalleolshams". Khorasan all along its long and turmoil history had raised many talented and renowned men in the areas of political, science and literature. In the old days Khorasan was covering a vast territory which later as the result of several devastating wars and numbers of incompetence rulers and governors had divided into several minor territories, which today some part of it belongs to the neighboring countries such as Afghanistan. Therefore, the Khorasan province of today is a part of an old Khorasan that we read about in history books.
Khorasan territory like many parts of Iran was violated by barbaric attacks of Mongolian Empire of the time and had undergone many changes in its history of existence. During the turmoil period, only from "Shahrokh", descendant of "King Teymour", and his wife "Lady Goharshad" some historical sites have left intact in Mashhad, the center of the province, such as "Goharshad Mosque" among some other historical buildings. The sites were source of pride and had excellent impact in the province and for the people in that time.
Apart from Mongols intrusion, "Uzbeks" also played an important rule in destruction of Khorasan and attacked the region many times and add to the difficulties that the territory already had. However, the dark period lasted until the reign of "Mohammad -khan-Ghajar" and than, during the reign of "fath-ali-shah" the relative calm had returned to the land. Currently, khorasan Province possesses an area of 313337.2 square kilometer which is roughly one fifth of the entire Iran's territory, and is located in the Northeastern of country.
Assessment of the Carpet weaving records in Khorasan
Unfortunately, not only form the old woven treasures of khorasan nothing of significant left, but also there are not very good reference books and transcripts recorded by the historian and explores in the world. The remained documents which are available today do not describe the history of woven carpets in the area and region coherently and vividly. North-eastern part of Iran in old days was divided into two regions: one as the state of "Ghouhestan" and another "Grand Khorasan" in the northeast and east of the country. Among the old transcripts and in particular in the "ahsan-al-taghasim" carpet weaving in the Ghouhestan region is mentioned and documented very clearly.
Period of Devaluation of carpet weaving in Khorasan
In the time when "Shah Esmaeil" conquered Herat (currently, a city of northwest of Afghanistan) in 916 (Islamic calendar) the capital of the country was shifted to Tabriz and as the result, most artist were transferred from Heart to Tabriz and consequently, second school of art was established in the new capital. Therefore, it is more likely that because of the dearth of artist in the regions such as: Khorasan, khorazm, Bokhara, Ghouhestan, and specially Heart the business of Carpet making had demoted greatly in an extend that currently in some of the areas there is not much of the flourishing of the past activity left with regard to carpet weaving.
The most important centers of carpet weaving in the Khorasan province
The limelight of carpet weaving in the Khorasan province, at the moment, are as follows: Mashhad, Birjand, Kashmar, Torbat jam and Torbat Headarieh (Balouch carpets of Khorasan), niyshabour, Sabzevar, Gonabad, and from northern part of Khorasan: Ghouchan, Sheervan and Bojnoord. In continuation, we will evaluate the situation of carpet weaving in three cities of Mashhad, Kashmar and Bojnoord in the future.
Brief history of the city of Mashhad the center of Khorasan
Mashhad is the second largest religious city in the world since the Shrine of Imam Reza, peace upon him, as legitimate successor to Profit Mohammad for the Shiite Moslems has been placed there and Imam was martyred in the city of Mashhad in the fourth century, Islamic Calendar (IC), because of his religious beliefs. It seems that after Sixth century (IC) the name "Mashhad" gained its popularity and it was used in the Historical and Geographical Transcript by the historian. However, in the seventh to tenth centuries (IC), the name Mashhad was followed with suffixes: Razavi, Tous, and Saint.
Finally, after the tenth century (IC), the word "Mashhad" which was used with the above suffixes for many centuries, was refer to as only Saint Mashhad and later gradually changed to just city of Mashhad. Assessment of the Carpet weaving records in Mashhad
Finding a date for the start of carpet weaving in Mashhad just as in Khorasan has its own difficulties. According to the existing old transcripts about the history of old carpets, the oldest carpet in this city belongs to the period of "Shoh Abbas safavii" from 996 to 1038 (IC). Based on the narratives and written documents that are available today, the oldest carpet in Mashhad was woven by the direct order of Shoh Abbas safavii and it was dedicated to the Imam reza Shrine. Mr. Cecil Edwards, a historian, in his book "Iran Carpet" claims that while he was looking into the documents he had encountered a list dated 1302 (IC) which it refers to the above story of the old carpet in Mashhad. He also mentions that the list itself is based on the narratives of the people, so there is no documentation about the oldest carpet and carpet weaving situation in Mashhad from the Safavian era to beginning of the 14th century (IC).
After a few centuries of uncertainty about the carpet weaving in Mashhad, during the approximately 1240 to 1250 (IC), the carpet industry bounced back and revived; from then on, the industry has strived for excellence up to date. But is there any comparison between those carpets of old days and the carpets weaving of today in terms of design and colors in the city of Mashhad? Most probably not, today's carpet industry is more vibrant from artistic point of view and exportation. However, from the beginning of the year 1280 (IC) some 30 to 40 priceless and invaluable carpets, both of artistic value as well as high revenue or turnover, were exported to western countries, which most of them are currently decorating the renowned museums worldwide and some in the hands of the biggest carpet collectors in Iran and around the world. Among those who reestablished the carpet weaving in Mashhad, we can name three masters who played an important rule to revive the carpet industry in Mashhad such as Amou-Oghlii brothers, Mohammad-Ebrahim Makhmalbaf and Haj-Ali Khamenei.
The most important centers of carpet weaving in Mashhad
The most important suburban areas in the city of Mashhad that are active in carpet weaving are as follows: Torghabeh, Jagharg, Shandiz, Zoushk and Noghondar. Comparison between good old day era and declining of today's carpet industry in Mashhad
In a short interview with one of the renowned experts in carpet weaving industry and a major producer in Mashhad Mr. Ahmad Bazmi, whose mentor was Mr. Saber the master of carpet weaving in Khorasan, talked about the good days of the carpet industry and the reasons of today's decline in carpet weaving industry in Mashhad:
Assessing reasons for the strength of the industry in the past
Before the revolution and at the beginning of the reign of Shah Pahlavi, Khorasan's carpets and especially Mashhadi ones were among the best in the entire country and a good testimony to that are the carpets that decorated the museums' wall in Iran and the world. In addition, in the past, famous people such as Amou-Oghlii brothers, Mohammad-Ebrahim Makhmalbaf, Khalil Khadivi and others were major producers of carpets in the region and in no place in Iran, at that time, one could see so many experts working together to create master pieces that we luckily possess today. It is also important for us to know that in that time the Khorasan Province was self-sufficient in obtaining and extracting the best quality none artificial colors from the raw materials utilizing the best techniques to apply.
Assessing reasons for the weakness of the industry in the present time
First, the children of the carpet mentors (mentioned above) were no longer interested in carpet weaving because they were witnessing the difficulties and problems that their parents were facing daily. As the result, they did not want to go through the ordeals of their parents whom at the end of their life had no money, even a penny, and in despair.
Second, in recent years, there were excessive rules and regulations plus heavy taxation that made life difficult for the producers of carpets and the result was devastating since the major producers were forced to shift from collective carpet weaving production to much smaller ones with much smaller locations without adequate lighting system with little or no hygiene what so ever in the workshops.
Third, fall of income of the producers affected the quality of the carpet production seriously since they had to balance the coffers.
Fourth, lack of competence management and experts in the field who could revive the art of carpet weaving in the grand province of Khorasan. Carpet weavers "A carpet weaver makes millions of knots to bring smile and comfort to your home" However once said that, unfortunately, the weaver's name almost never appears in the carpet industry because the only thing that is left on the carpet is the name of the producer and nothing else. Nevertheless, there are some known weavers to the public and among them we can name the mentor and master of carpet weaving" Amou-Oghlii" whose carpets are currently in the museum of Iran carpet. Without a doubt, his work is considered to be the most valuable ones as a contemporary carpet weaver in Iran. Carpet designers in Mashhad
The most important carpet designers in Mashhad are as follows: Alipour, Mirza-Hassan Zarinkalack, Tarhchi brothers, Said Mohsen Saneie, Ahmad Behboudy… to mention just few.
Designing and coloring done in Mshhadi Carpets
A. Design characteristics of Mashhad carpet
- Sepah Dary or Sepah Salary (which looks like a Toranj or Lachak)
- Sheikh Safi or Shah Safi
- Kouzeh Kanani (Scattered style)
- Samourad (Dr. Samourad's custom made orders)
- Spread about or scattered style with small flowers (Amou-Oghlii's style)
- Spread about or scattered style with large flowers (Shah Abbasi's scattered style)
- In a form if Spread out - all over
- Lachak Toranj- which has several different style:
'Lachak Toranj Shah Abbasi
'Lachak Toranj Eslimi
'Lachak Toranj Simple pattern, western flower
'Lachak Toranj Sadie
'Lachak Toranj with the picture of animals
'Lachak Toranj with the picture of Jungle and animals
'Lachak Toranj scattered or spread about
'Lachak Toranj bouquet of flower
- Pictorial design hunting places (It is not seen very often in Mashhad contemporary carpets)
B- Coloring, application of colors and their variety
Khorasan carpet is famous for its vivid purplish red, crimson, or vivid red background (Domestically called Laky); the natural red color is obtained from a plant with red granule that is only grown in Khorasan region. In general, colors that are used in Mashhadi carpets are: vivid purplish red or vivid red, jujube red, blue, dark blue, Brown, all kinds of green and crème or custard. Unfortunately, variety of pink and yellow colors, which are used in Tabriz design known as western flowers, are used in Mashhadi carpets which they are no mach for the traditional design and colors used in Khorasan and its center Mashhad.
The binder on the sides of Mashhadi carpets For a period of, approximately, fifty years, binder weaving for the carpets was performed at the same time as carpet weaving itself, but things are different now. Today, the carpet binder is done after the carpet is finished and in some premium costly carpets such as the Amou-Oghliis' carpets instead of normal binder a method called "Kilim weaving" on the both lengths of the carpet take place. The kilim around the carpet, which is normally woven by utilizing silk thread, holds the carpet like a frame and gives a fabulous look to the carpet.