Persian Rugs
Persian rugs have a rich history, dating back thousands of years, reflecting the art and culture of the region. Persia is today part of modern day Iran. Persian carpets were highly valued possessions, and were traditionally an integral part of a Persian home.
Persian Carpets
Sunni Islamic tradition forbids the depiction of human figures, and sometimes even animals, but Persia does not conform to these restrictions as it is a Shiite Muslim region. Deer, leopards, dragons and even human figures were often woven into the Persian carpets.
History of Persian Rugs
The earliest known carpet dates back to 500BC, and is believed to have been woven by Persian nomads. It is known as the Pazyryk rug, and was discovered by the Russian archaeologist Sergei Rudenko in 1947. This carpet was preserved in permafrost in a royal burial mound in Siberia.
The Pazyryk carpet is red in colour with woven horses, elks and flowers. A procession of horses marches in the outer border, and elks in the inner. A minor border composed of floral motifs separates the two major borders. The field contains a checkerboard decorated with flowers. This carpet indicates that the weaving of rugs had already reached an artistic level by this time.
King Cyrus the Great is believed to have initially established carpet making as an art form in Ancient Persia at roughly 500BC. Before this time, it is likely that nomadic tribes were producing carpets for practical uses. The tomb of King Cyrus was said to have been decorated with beautiful Persian carpets.
The Spring Time of Chosroes is a famous early Persian carpet which was woven during the Sassanid Dynasty (241-641AD) for Chosroes I. It is described in historical documents as showing brooks, trees and the flowers of springtime. The borders contained flower motifs studded with precious stones. The stalks of the trees were woven with gold and silver thread.
The Persian knot is used in most Persian carpets, but in 1036AD the Seljuk Turks conquered Ancient Persia, introducing the Turkish knot. The use of the Turkish knot still continues today in some areas of Persia.
Persia was conquered by a brutal Mongol conquest in 1220 AD, briefly causing a halt in carpet production. The victorious Mongols quickly came under the influence of Persian culture, and carpet making resumed albeit in a reduced fashion. The Persian carpets from this period were fairly simple, and made in a geometric style.
The Safavid Dynasty is perhaps the most important carpet making era in Persian history, which began when the Mongols started to lose their power. In 1499 Persia regained control of its country after seven centuries of foreign dominance. This lead to a renaissance in the arts, with the creation of craft centres for the production of Persian rugs.
Magnificent carpets made from silk, with gold and silver thread were created during the Safavid dynasty. Carpets began to appear in mosques and trade opened with Europe. Persian carpets quickly become a luxury item in the West. The best carpets from this era came from the cities of Kashan, Tabriz and Isfahan.
In 1722 the Afghans invaded Persia, resulting in a brief decline in carpet production. However, little over half a century later, trade and craft regained its importance in the region. This continued up until the 19th century, when Europe and America began to set up carpet businesses to organise trade for the West.