Typical Persian weaver. Sufis and the art of oriental carpets

ABRASH
- This is the difference in shades of the same tone in the carpet, resulting from dyeing the threads with different dye solutions.
Typically, these small differences become more noticeable over time.
Abrash is found mainly in antique carpets and is a consequence of the artisanal production of dyeing solutions. Abrash is not a defect for carpets self made.

AVSHAN
- This is a word of Persian origin meaning “dotted.” Characterizes the ornament of a handmade carpet with a floral pattern without a central medallion.

AYNA GOL
- A Turkmen carpet pattern consisting of stylized flowers inserted into polygons.

AINA-GOTSHAK
- An ornament of a Turkmen carpet, in which the field is divided into small squares, decorated with a pattern with beak-like curved protrusions.

AINA KAP
- Carpet case for storing mirrors in Turkmenistan.

AZERI
- Trade name of modern Azerbaijani carpets.

AXMISTER RUGS
- English carpets, made in Axminster, in Turkish style.

ALKAGULKIKI
- Miniature graceful ornament with blackthorn flowers.

ARIANA
- In the Middle East and Turkey, this word refers to modern imitations of ancient carpets from the regions of Bakshayesh and Geris.

ASHKALI
- Carpet ornament. Meets with antique Qashqai carpets. It consists of two octagons nested inside each other, the inner one of which is densely decorated with hooks.

BUNDY
- A term referring to the ribbon and lattice pattern found in Persian carpets.

BAFT
- A term for the work of hand-making carpet in Iran.

BAKHTIYARI
- Carpet ornament, which originated in the traditions of carpet weaving of the people
Bakhtiyari, who lives in a region of south-central Iran called Chahar Mahal. Bakhtiyari carpets have a checkerboard pattern, each cell of which is decorated with trees of life, birds, flowers, and abstract animals. They are usually woven with a Turkish knot.

RUNNING DOG
- An ornament used in Caucasian carpets in the form of a hook-shaped stylized dog. A symbol designed to protect the home.

BELUCH
- Persian carpets woven by the nomadic Baluchi tribe in eastern Iran. Most of them are manufactured in the province of Sistan and Baluchistan, located right on the southeastern border of Iran.

BERGAMA
- Turkish handmade carpets woven in the vicinity of the city of Bergama on the western coast of Turkey. They are also known as Anatolian carpets and are usually square in shape. They are woven from wool on a red weft warp and, as a result, the backing of the carpet becomes red striped. The carpet's design is geometric, often centered around a large angular medallion surrounded by flowers.

BESHIR
- Turkmen handmade carpets, which were made by the Turkmen nomads of the Ersari tribe in the vicinity of the village of Beshir in Turmenia. Carpets are woven from wool. The main colors are red, blue. They use oriental designs with Gul patterns, but can also have Chinese cloud motifs. Knitted with a Persian knot.

BRUS
- Turkish silk carpets (usually small size), used as prayer rugs, also known as Saff. Weaved in the vicinity of Bursa.

BUTA
- In oriental carpets there is a decorative motif in the form of a drop or pendant, decorated with a stylized floral pattern. In Europe it is called Kashmiri ornament.

BUKHARA
- An established commercial name for a number of carpets produced in Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and northern Iran, having a similar style of ornament. Literally, Bukhara is a city in Uzbekistan with a large carpet bazaar, where carpets of this pattern were sold in large quantities.

VAGIREKH (VAGIRE)
- A small handmade carpet, used by carpet makers as a sample. It was decorated with many patterns and ornaments that are used in the border part of the carpet. The surviving specimens have historical value and are sought after by collectors.

VAGH - VAGH
- Indian handmade carpet, the ornament of which is made in the form of a mythological tree with singing heads hanging on it.

VASE
- Oriental carpet ornament in the form of a vase, from the neck of which stems of flowers and shoots emanate.

VERNE
- Weaving with overlay or interlacing of shuttle threads.

VERAMIN
- Iranian carpet whose name comes from the city of the same name Veramin, located south of Tehran. Veramin carpets are distinguished by their clarity of design and elegant pattern in the form of an open field with flowers. The flowers are connected by diagonal vines and are repeated throughout the rug, framed by a dark blue border. Veramin carpets have a high weaving density.

VISS
- Iranian carpet, the name of which comes from the city of the same name Wiss, located near Hamadan. The design of these carpets consists of a bright hexagonal central medallion with two smaller medallions at the top and bottom, most often placed on a red field. The color predominantly used in borders is blue.

GAB GORANI
- Parchment bindings of ancient Korans, decorated with inserted plates of gold and silver. The ornament that decorates them often served as a model for the ornamental compositions of oriental carpets.

GABE
- Handmade carpets with long pile. Very soft and delicate to the touch, they often served as blankets among nomadic tribes.

GADDY
- A sample of the ornament printed on cardboard, serving as a visual aid for the master.

GARADJA
- Handmade carpets made by Turkish nomads living in the mountains and valleys between Tabriz and the Caspian Sea in Northeastern Iran. They have a geometric design with small, key medallions and, in some cases, small images of plants or animals.

GERATY
- A carpet ornament used throughout the East (another name is rize mahi). It consists of four palmettes forming a vessel with flowers and figured leaves. The medallion is a diamond with a flower, usually with eight open petals, from which stems extend, until the leaves bloom to the end.

GERATY ON THE EDGE
- The ornament used on the border of the carpet, otherwise called “tortoise shell”, consists of palmettes and rosettes connected by stems.

GERMECH
- A small carpet that was used by nomads to stretch over doorposts. It protected the yurt from dust and sand.

GEL
- A completed secondary decorative element of a rug's design, generally geometric in shape.

GIORDIS
- Turkish handmade carpets from the city of Ghiordes (western Türkiye), often used for prayer rituals.

TAPESTRY
- Hand-woven lint-free carpets, also called trellises. Produced mainly in Belgium and France. Currently, the main supplier of handmade tapestries is China.

GOLDANI
- An ornament used in Persian carpets in the form of lush, repeating flowerpots with flowers.

GORAVAN
- Iranian carpets with geometric patterns of the same name from a small village in northwestern Iran, north of Kheriz..

GOTSHAK
- A pattern used in the ornament of Turkmen carpets in the form of a pointed hook.

GULI-GOL
- Floral gel of a rounded shape, divided into four parts filled with patterns.

GURBAKA
- Stylized “frog” in the form of a cross-shaped pattern in the ornaments of oriental carpets.

GUL-I-BULBUL
- Literally, translated from Persian, – flower and nightingale. The plot of the carpet ornament in the form of birds on the branches flowering trees.

GUL FARANGH
- Floral patterns in oriental carpets, which arose under European influence. Literally means "foreign flower".

DERGEZIN
- Iranian carpets made in the Hamadan region.

JIAK
- A secondary motif in the ornament of the border part of some Caucasian and Turkmen carpets (diagonal shading).

JOFTY
- A wider knot (relative to the Persian and Turkish knot), framing four weft threads at once, which was used in rectilinear patterns to better emphasize their difference from the rest of the ornament. Currently, this unit is used for the production of inexpensive, low-quality carpets.

DIP CHALLAH
- A small rug used by the nomadic peoples of the East, in front of the entrance to the yurt.

DONBakli
- The word of Persian origin (literally - drum) is used to designate a special border ornament with four tops, decorated with images of large flowers, reminiscent in shape of an Iranian drum.

DORRY (DORY)
- Indian carpets made using the kilim technique using cotton threads.

DOZAR
- Persian carpets up to 2x1.5m in size.

THE DRAGON
- Armenian carpets from the Caucasus, produced from the 16th to the 19th centuries.
The design consists of a square pattern with lanceolate leaves with stylized dragons, a phoenix, flowers, trees and palmettes.

DIRNAK GOL
- A term of Turkic origin meaning “claw pattern” - a diamond-shaped hooked gel in Turkmen Yomud carpets.

ZANJAN
- Persian carpets often have geometric patterns with a "diamond" central medallion in dark wine red running from top to bottom, set on a lighter field of usually beige or of blue color.
The word "zanjan" literally means "beloved wife" or "beloved woman." There is also a city of the same name in northern Iran.

ZELLOSOLTAN
- Floral patterns in oriental carpets in the form of several vases with lush bouquets and two birds sitting on the sides.

ZIEGLER
- Handmade carpets woven between 1883 and 1930 in the Arak region of western Iran. These carpets were made for the British company Ziegler, had Persian patterns (often copied existing patterns), pastel colors and large sizes. The warp and weft were made of cotton.

SPANISH KNOT
- Not a typical version of the Turkish knot, which is knitted on warp threads one after another, alternating from row to row.

ISPINDJULKIKI
- Caucasian carpet from the province of Zeykhur. Due to its external similarity, the ornament is also mistakenly called “St. Andrew’s Cross”.

ISFAHAN
- A region of Iran that produces carpets that are some of the finest Persian carpets. Isfahan carpets are the crowning achievement of the art of Persian carpets, created in a magical city famous for its high artistic taste and sophistication.

YIIM
- A special type of handmade kilim in which the design is applied using a special technique called “additional weft”.

KAZAKH (KAZAK)
- A commercial term denoting a style of carpet made in the Caucasus (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia). The patterns of these carpets are geometric; they are woven with a low knot density, but have high performance characteristics. The term comes from the region of Azerbaijan of the same name, where the production of these carpets was widespread.

KAZAKH WITH CLOUDS
- Armenian carpet from Chon-darask, the pattern of which is spotted in the form cloudy sky.

KAZAKH WITH STARS
- Georgian carpet, on the central field of which eight-pointed stars alternate, different sizes.

KAZAKH WITH SWASTIKA
- Caucasian carpet, decorated with ornamental elements in the shape of a swastika.

KANTA
- Handmade kilim, from which eastern nomadic tribes made bags for storing various household utensils.

KAPALYK
- In the old days in the East - a piece of room decoration that had the shape of the letter “P” and was hung over doorways, or less often, window openings.

KAPHOOK
- Antique oriental quilted pillows. The cover was made from kilims or carpets.

CAPSA GEL
- Gel, used in carpets of the Turkmen Yomud tribe, having the shape of a diamond with jagged edges.

KASHAN
- A Persian carpet produced in the city of the same name in central Iran, the design of which consists of diamond-like medallions with small arches on a field of vegetation. Thematic carpets with hunting scenes are also woven.

KILIM
- Handmade woven lint-free carpet.

KILIM BAFT
- Lint-free parts of a handmade carpet that are not knotted.

KINTAMANI
- A handmade carpet from Turkey (Anatolia), the design of which consists of elements with three small circles or dots, under which there is a short wavy line.

CORK
- Wool of the highest category, sheared from young sheep of special breeds.

KUM
- A city located south of Tehran, where the world-famous Persian silk carpets of the same name are produced.

KUM-KAPI
- Hand-woven Turkish silk carpets from the Kumkapi artisan district in Istanbul, featuring Persian designs. They are woven from silk of the highest category with gold or silver threads. The term "Kum-kapi" is also used to denote the quality of the finest Turkish silk carpets.

KHARKANGI
- A decorative motif of Persian origin, meaning "crab" and representing a diamond-shaped design with stylized outlines, arranged diagonally, with four branches in the form of a forked leaf, swirling in a funnel. This composition also includes other elements: one palmette with a peculiar twisting shape and the other large and spreading. This pattern was often used in Azerbaijani carpets from the province of Cuba.

KHESHTI
- A Persian term for the tiled pattern of Iranian carpets. The squares arranged in regular rows depict vases with flowers, trees and birds.

LADIK
- Extremely rare Turkish carpets from the settlement of Ladik, which were mass produced approximately between the 17th and 19th centuries, using Mihrab patterns and stylized tulips. Newer carpets are also woven in different patterns.

LOTTO
- Turkish handmade carpet, made since the 16th century. They were woven according to Lorenzo Lotto's designs. These carpets belong to the Ushak carpet group and have geometric patterns in yellow on a red background.

LUL BAFT
- In Persian carpet weaving, a term meaning warp threads that are located on two levels due to the strong tension of the shuttle thread.

LURIE - PAMBAC
- Caucasian carpets with a large octagon white, outlined with a blue hook-shaped outline. In the center of the octagon there is a cross-shaped pattern, its outline reminiscent of animals looking at each other

MALAER
- Iranian carpets produced by semi-nomadic people living in the vicinity of the city of Arak in northwestern Iran. Traces of Kurdish roots are evident in these tribal rugs, with the central field of the rug having an intricately patterned medallion in the center, predominantly in tones of red. You can also find geometric patterns in these carpets.

MALBAND
- Long strap woven using kilim technique. Used by nomads for packing animals.

MAMELUKE
- Egyptian carpets made in Cairo during the Mamluk dynasty between 1250 and 1517. These rugs are large in size and have geometric patterns. Woven using deep red, blue and green flowers

MAFRASH
- Large folding bag made using kilim technique. Used by nomadic peoples of the East during constant migrations.

MEDAHEL
- In oriental carpet ornamentalism - a zigzag pattern used in the border part of the carpet with alternating light and dark colors.

MEJID
- A trend in Turkish carpet weaving, which was typical of many Anatolian carpets of the 19th century, characterized by a jumble of large floral patterns in the Baroque style. The Turkish Sultan Abdullah Majid (1839-1861) was an admirer of this type of carpet, hence the name.

MEZARLIK
- Name of typical Turkish carpets produced in the Kula and Kirsenir regions. In the center of these carpets are stylized landscapes with houses and mosques.

MEMLING GEL
- A decorative element of the ornament, which is found in Anatolian, Caucasian and Turkmen carpets in the form of a hooked polygon.

MASHHAD
- Iranian handmade carpet produced in the city of the same name, which is the capital of the Khorassan province and an important center for carpet production. Mashhad carpets feature designs with elegant medallions on floral fields of red or blue color range. They often copy classic Kashan patterns, and sometimes Herati details.

MINFLER
- Indian carpet with small floral patterns, intended for niches.

WORLD
- An established commercial name for carpets produced in Sarabande.

MOGUL
- Indian carpets that were woven in India in the 16th and XVII centuries forced Persian weavers on the initiative of the Great Mughals. Mogul carpets are of great historical and artistic value.

MOHARRAMAT
- An element of the ornament of Persian carpets in the form of columns (vertical) or a belt (horizontal).

NAVAR
- A belt woven using the kilim technique, which is part of a horse harness.

NAMAKDAN
- Woven bags, trunks, etc., which were used by nomads to store salt, flour, bread and other food supplies.

NAMAZLIK
- The word is of Turkic origin. Literally means “for prayer.” Small prayer rugs designed for performing religious rituals in Islam.

NAIN
- Nain carpets are Persian carpets in demand all over the world, which are woven in the vicinity of the city of the same name in Iran. They are woven on a cotton or silk weft warp. As a rule, they use a lot of shades of blue (blue, turquoise, sea green, etc.).

AUBUSSON
- A famous French manufactory that has been producing handmade tapestries and carpets since the 17th century.

OKBASH
- Small woven items in the form of triangular bags, which were used by nomads to decorate the protruding ends of the support poles of the yurt.

PALMETTA (PALM BRANCH)
- A term that summarizes the name of plant and floral motifs in oriental carpets.

PARDA
- Medium-sized carpets (2.60 x 1.60 m), which were used in the tents of some nomadic tribes as screens or partitions.

PETAG
- Manufactory in Tabriz, built by a German company and existed for a short time from the end of the 19th to the beginning of the 20th centuries. Carpets from the Petag manufactory are sought after by handmade carpet collectors.

POST
- Wicker sofa cushion in Persia.

RAJ
- Finished knot row in handmade carpets. The term is mainly used in Iran.

ROBBE
- One-fourth of a symmetrical design printed on cardboard, used as a visual aid.

HAND OF FATIMA
- An image of a hand with five fingers, symbolizing the “five pillars of Islam” (prayer, fasting, faith, pilgrimage and mercy). Often found in the designs of Caucasian, Turkmen and Iranian prayer carpets.

SAVONERI
- Workshops for the production of handmade tapestries, founded in Paris in 1628. The compositions designed by court artists included floral patterns, heraldic symbolism and architectural motifs. The warp weft threads were coarse linen yarn, and the pile was wool.

SARYK
- Hand-woven Persian carpets, named after the settlement of the same name in the vicinity of Arak in western Iran. These are wool carpets, the ornament of which consists of vine-shaped patterns on a red and dark blue field.

SALOR GEL
- Carpet gel, often used in Turkmen carpets of the Salor tribe. It has the shape of an octagon with a jagged perimeter.

SAF
- Prayer rugs, the ornament of which depicts a repeating pattern of the mihrab.

SAFAVIDS
- Dynasty that ruled Persia from 1502 to 1736 and created a unified state. They were great admirers of carpet weaving art.

SENNE
- A city in northwestern Iran, home to ethnic Kurds, famous for its kilims. Basically, Senne kilims have a cotton base, the threads of which are dyed in bright colors.

SOFRESH
- Oriental embroidered tablecloth

SUZANI
- Oriental embroidered panels using cotton, wool and silk.

SULTANABAD
- A city in northwestern Iran, where late XIX centuries, European companies preferred to order large rugs (large-sized rugs) for the European market.

SUMAK (SUMAK)
- A type of woven lint-free carpets.

TABRIZ (TABRIZ)
- Tabriz is a city in northwestern Iran, which is one of the major centers of Persian carpet weaving. Tabriz carpets have their own signature. As a rule, this is a floral ornament with large palmettes and decorative vases. Tabriz carpets can be with or without an “afshan” medallion. There are also plot ornaments. Carpets from Tabriz have subtypes.
Tabriz “Mahi” carpets are woven in a restrained color scheme. Distinctive feature is that the elements of the ornament are located on a small flower field.
Carpets from Tabriz "Nakshekh" abound in pink on beige.
There is a lot of orange and lime green in Tabatabaya.
Persian carpets from Tabriz are usually woven from high quality materials (wool, silk, cotton).

TAUK NUSKA GOL
- Gel in Turkmen carpets in the shape of an octagon. The ornament is decorated with a pattern in the form of arrowheads.

TORBA
- A small pile bag made using the kilim technique, used by nomads.

TURK BAFT
- Turkish knot.

UK-BASH (YUK-BASH)
- Bags in which nomads transport wooden parts of tents and yurts. Uk-bash is made mainly from pile carpets.

USHAK
- Turkish handmade carpets, made in the city of the same name, located in the west of the country. Characterized by large floral patterns or stylized rhythmic patterns of geometric shapes.

FARCE
- These are Iranian handmade carpets produced in the province of Fars, located in the southwest of the country near the city of Shiraz. Woven by the nomadic Qashqai tribes.

GROUND MEAT
- Translated from Persian - “carpet”.

MATCH BAFT
- Asymmetrical weaving method.

FERAHAN
- Persian carpets from the Ferahan region in western Iran. Weaved with a Persian knot on a cotton weft warp. Dominant colors - red and blue

HALI
- A word of Persian origin meaning the “main” carpet found in the house.

HAJI JALILI
- Formerly a great master weaver from Tabriz. The amazing colors and ornamental details of the carpets he wove are recreated in palace Tabriz carpets to this day. Iran.

HABIBIAN
- Fatollah Habibian (1903 - 1995) great Iranian carpet weaver from the city of Nain. Habibian carpets are the standard of quality and high artistic style of Nain carpets. They are characterized by high nodular density.

HAMADAN
- The city located in west-central Iran is one of the largest centers for the trade of tribal carpets. The patterns in the ornaments of Hamadan carpets range from primitive geometric to rich floral ones.

HAFT RANK
- A phrase translated from Persian that means carpets with a base of precious silk.

HEREKE
- A city in western Turkey historically famous for its high-quality silk carpets. Turkish Hereke silk carpets are considered one of the best.

KHORDZHIN (KHURJIN)
- Double travel bags, used by nomadic tribes as shoulder or saddle bags.

ZIEGLER
- In the late 19th century, an Anglo-Swiss company that controlled the Persian carpet market, especially in Sultanabad. By order of the Ziegler company, carpets were produced for the European and American markets.

CHARKHANGA
- A pattern in the form of a stylized crab, used in carpet ornaments.

CHEMCHE GEL
- Translated from Turkic it means “gel in the form of a ladle.” Used in Turkmen carpets made by the Teke tribe.

SHAHR BABAK
- Persian carpets made in the city of the same name in southern Iran. The traditional design features a central medallion with an intricately detailed, ornate pattern in pale pastel colors with white and gold accents contrasting with a background of cranberry red or blue. An ornament in the form of a stylized garden with a tree of life, vases and flowers is also used.

SHAH ABBAS
- Shah of the Safavid dynasty (1587-1629), whose name was given complex pattern. Iranian Shah Abbas carpets consist of palmettes connected to rosettes by a stem twisted in a spiral.

SHEKATE MINTING
- A carpet company founded in Iran in 1936 under Shah Reza Pahlavi.

SHIRAZ
- Shiraz - ancient city in central Iran, where handmade carpets of the same name are produced. The patterns of the ornaments are geometric, but not primitive. They often include large medallions in the shape of diamonds. In different parts of the field of the Shiraz carpet you can also see small stylized animals or plants.

ELAM
- Stripes in the central part of Turkmen or Turkish prayer carpets, decorated with heraldic symbols.

ELEM
- Secondary curb stripes.

ENSI
- In other words (translated from Turkic) - woven “door”. The Ensi carpet was used by nomads to cover the entrance to the tent.

ERSARI
- Afghan carpets, named after the tribe inhabiting the northwestern part of the country. IN Lately many of the Ersaris settled in Pakistan, where they are engaged in the production of carpets

Legal entity
- Woven kilim cape for a horse.

YYUR
- Motif in the form of intertwining tendrils of a grapevine. Found in carpets produced in Ersari.

YURUK
- Turkish wool carpets woven by the Yuruk tribe in eastern Turkey. They are distinguished by high pile and simple geometric patterns.

YALAMEH
- Persian carpets of the Yalameh tribe, which lives in the Iranian province of Fars. They are distinguished by their richness of patterns and richness of colors.

YASTIK
- A term (of Turkic origin) for woven pile pillows.

I JUST
- Carpets that served as a kind of mattresses for nomadic tribes.

Handmade carpets are a divine luxury, which has been such at all times. Not a single palace in the East could do without the famous Persian carpets. Handmade silk and wool Persian carpets have always been and remain true works of art. In ancient times, they were even presented as gifts to European rulers. Being a master weaver of carpet art was not only profitable, but also very honorable and prestigious. The art of carpet making in Iran dates back centuries, and the secrets of the craft are passed down in the families of masters from generation to generation.

The products of Iranian carpet weavers, both in ancient times and today, are considered the highest quality and most expensive goods. Carpets made by hand delight you with the uniqueness of the design and the originality of the color scheme. But it is not only the external characteristics of carpets that delight people. The quality of the carpets does not leave anyone indifferent - the density of the weaving and the precise execution of complex patterns. The use of only natural dyes in the production of threads for weaving carpets makes the design durable and almost eternal.

And yet, Persian carpets did not immediately become works of art. In ancient times, carpets, of course, were beautiful in their own way. However, they were more practical than aesthetic value. The first carpets were heavy cloths made of wool and served as flooring in houses, and were also used as interior partitions. They slept on carpets and covered themselves with carpets. Each tribe had special decals woven into carpets. These signs were called “guli”. When one tribe was conquered by another, the “gul” of the defeated tribe was woven into the winner’s carpet. Very often on the ancient carpet one could read by signs about the glorious military heritage of the men of this tribe.

Very few ancient Persian carpets survive today. In Altai, in the 50s of the last century, what scientists believe was the oldest carpet. It was discovered in permafrost after excavating a tomb more than two thousand years old. The tomb was partially destroyed. Water got into it and the carpet was completely covered with a crust of ice. Imagine the amazement of the scientists when it was discovered that the carpet was practically undamaged after defrosting and drying. Now this carpet is one of the pearls of the Hermitage. But just think: for more than twenty centuries the carpet lay in permafrost and practically nothing happened to it! Yes, the quality of work of Persian carpet makers speaks for itself.

In Eastern countries, the art of weaving carpets was the main craft. Masters from Turkey and China, India and Pakistan, Central Asia, the Caucasus and North Africa competed in the art of carpet making. But they never managed to surpass the skill of Persian weavers. To this day, the Iranian carpet is the best in the world, and the real pride of its owner!

Now it is also possible to become the owner of an Iranian carpet. You just need to spend some serious money. Persian carpets are not only the best in the world, but also the most expensive. Moreover, silk carpets are much more expensive than wool carpets. But they're worth it. Firstly, handmade is always at a premium. Secondly, only natural materials and dyes are used in the manufacture of such carpets, which guarantees high quality products and a long service life. And, of course, uniqueness - it is almost impossible to find two identical carpets (unless there was an order for the production of two of these). It takes from six months to several years to create one carpet. The time required to work on one product depends on its size, complexity of the ornament, number of colors and shades. Carpets are made in the shape of a circle, oval, rectangle. Sometimes we receive orders for carpets of different widths and lengths.

The color palette for making carpets is huge, but there are also colors that are preferable to others. These are the color of baked milk and ivory, beige in all its manifestations, red, burgundy, brown, indigo and emerald green.

In Iran, carpet weaving is a traditional and widespread craft in all regions of the country. And each region has its own unique patterns, by which one can unmistakably recognize the “homeland” of the carpet.

Time passes, but carpets continue to occupy a place of honor in the lives of Iranians. And in the twenty-first century it is impossible to imagine an Iranian home without a carpet on the floor or on the wall. A new or shabby old carpet will always find its place in the house.

Carpet production has national significance. Every year, the state budget receives substantial funds from the sale of Persian carpets. Since Iranian carpets are the most expensive in the world, the quality of carpets in Iran is responsible at the state level. There is strict control over the quality and naturalness of raw materials, for which there is a lot of evidence. For example, when aniline dye was invented, the Shah of Persia banned the use of “chemicals” in the production of carpets by special decree. As punishment for disobedience, they cut off their right hand! But now, fortunately, such harsh measures are not resorted to. Carpet manufacturers take their craft seriously. After all, a Persian carpet not only has commercial value, it is also a calling card of today's Persia.

Nowadays, a Persian carpet, due to its quality and unique beauty, can become not only a long-term investment, but also a family heirloom, passed down from generation to generation. Each carpet has its own passport and quality certificate. The data in these documents is indicated in two languages ​​- Arabic and English. The documents name the country of manufacture, the composition and quality of the product, the date and place of manufacture, the “name” of the carpet and the name of the craftsman who made it. These documents for the carpet must be preserved until the “death” of the product.

Bibliography

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When we look at the cut carpet, old and trampled, unevenly woven in places, what surprise it awakens in us! The gentle shimmer of colors, the nobility of lines, the richness of patterns, all this attracts our eyes and brings them more and more surprises. When you look at this varied pattern, it becomes surprising that all this was possibly composed by some dark-skinned and perhaps at first glance unlearned Turkish or Persian weaver, whom an ordinary “cultured” European would consider a bit of a savage. But this is only at first glance, and at the second (and third, fourth) glance, this dark Turkish or Persian weaver may, on the contrary, in the most surprising way, turn out to be a very learned, wise (and even enlightened) master, privy to the deepest secrets of the universe.

On a real oriental carpet, namely a carpet made not for European taste according to the latest factory samples, but made precisely on an ancient oriental pattern, we are struck, first of all, by the wide range of colors, shimmering one into another. There are no bright contrasts, each piece is a play of different shades, golden yellow or cherry red. When two colors that are far from each other meet, then at least one of them is muted. And there are no colors in the oriental carpet that do not exist in nature. The weaver-artist, when admiring the blooming levada, wanted to recreate the same blooming levada in a carpet. Saw blue sky, and depicted the luxurious azure of the southern sky in prayer carpets.

A little history: there is no exact information about the origin of oriental carpets. The inhabitants of Asia Minor adopted weaving techniques, perhaps, from the ancient Egyptians. In Arab chronicles, references to crocheted carpets date back to the 7th century, but the remains of the oldest carpets that survive to this day only come from the 13th century. However, the real flowering of oriental carpet weaving came much later, only in the 15th and 16th centuries, when, along with the growing power of the Muslim world, both the cultural level and art, in particular the art of carpets, grew. Lively trade relations with Venetian merchants spread these examples of oriental art to all the capitals of Europe, and therefore we often see them even in the paintings of medieval European artists.

The religion of Mohammed strictly forbids the depiction of human or animal figures in art. All the admiration for beauty resulted in the pattern, in the ornamentation. Therefore, oriental art, in particular carpets, is rich in a wide variety of patterns, bizarre ornaments, which sometimes entail not just aesthetic admiration, but also real magical power, the energy of their unusual Sufi creator. It happens that you stand by such a magic carpet and you don’t understand why you feel so good, calm, cozy, it seems that the very pattern of this oriental work of art somehow imperceptibly affects the subconscious, calms, pacifies. Or vice versa, it seems like a good carpet, bright, colorful, but you look at it and in your soul, as if an evil worm is born, anxiety, worry, some kind of incomprehensible fear. Oh yes, different carpets carry different energy, depending on the purpose pursued by their creator. Let's say, you need to politely send out an uninvited guest, hang up the appropriate carpet (the one that causes alarm) and that's the end of it, in a few moments the guest himself will want to go somewhere, he will urgently have some “urgent matters”.

Since ancient times, the great art of carpet weaving was mainly practiced by Sufis, representatives of the mystical movement of Islam, main goal which is the spiritual perfection of man and at the end his merging with his eternal Creator in sacred ecstasy. What attracted Sufis to this art? It’s just that for such people the process of weaving carpets was not only an ordinary craft, or even artistic process, similar to how an artist paints a picture, for a Sufi, carpet weaving is also a meditative practice that helps to concentrate, learn to concentrate, cultivates perseverance and patience, without which there is nothing to do on the difficult path of Sufi (and indeed any spiritual) practices. Lyrical digression: However, all these necessary qualities– patience, perseverance, attention, can be developed in other ways useful activities, and not just weaving carpets (although for oriental people of the past, this craft was perhaps the most suitable). Well, in our time, instead of carpets, it is possible to produce, say, car alloy wheels; this also cannot be done without attention, patience and perseverance.

The famous Russian mystic of the early 20th century, Georgy Ivanovich Gurdjieff, once described well his training with the Sufis, one of his teachers was just such a Sufi and part-time carpet weaver, under his leadership Mr. Gurdjieff learned this interesting matter. At first, Gurdjieff thought that carpet weaving for his Sufi mentor was just a way to make a living, some wonderful business, and he kept waiting for him to finally start giving him some truly spiritual practices, but there were no spiritual practices. All day long Gurdjieff was busy weaving carpets, helping his teacher, because his carpets were famous for their high quality throughout the area, and therefore there was simply no end to clients. Perhaps somewhere, somewhere, a worm of doubt crept into Gurdjieff’s head: “The cunning Turk is simply using me, in fact, as a free labor, I work here all day, making carpets, he doesn’t give me any spiritual practices, maybe he’s not a Sufi, but an ordinary swindler? " But no, in the end, Gurdjieff realized that the very process of weaving carpets was the most important and important spiritual practice, it tempered his soul, molded patience, created a core, a foundation so necessary for further self-improvement.

Later, the ability to weave carpets came in handy for Gurdjieff more than once; during the bloody October Revolution, together with the remnants of the White Army and the still undead Russian nobles and landowners, escaping from Bolshevik Russia, Gurdjieff sold several of his carpets, and with the considerable money received he bought himself and all members of his esoteric group, tickets for a ship to Istanbul. (Otherwise, staying with the completely “spiritually unadvanced” newly minted communist-Leninists, you must admit, was somehow sad).

But let’s return to carpets, of course, modern carpets, mass-produced at some Soviet factory in Uzbekistan, which at one time were used en masse to decorate the walls of their homes by residents of the recent Soviet era (there was such a fashion) have nothing in common with those magical, real, original oriental handmade carpets made by “some” enlightened Persian or Turkish Sufi weaver, perhaps initiated into the deepest secrets of the universe... At least somewhere in European antique stores, the cost of such ancient oriental carpets reaches astronomical sums and they are really worth it.

practice.

If you've been to South Africa, Namibia or Botswana, you've probably noticed strange structures mounted on telegraph poles and lonely trees. You might think that the locals dry hay in such a strange way. But, as it turns out, the person has nothing to do with this structure. This is not a haystack, but a nest of birds called social weavers. It just so happened that these birds chose power lines to build their nests. You will ask why? It's simple. They live in desert conditions, where there are practically no trees. So the birds are forced to use power poles, which serve as a reliable support for their homes.

The birds got their name, “social”, thanks to their shared nests. The building is very solid. Its length can reach eight meters, with a height of two meters. This house is home to up to 300 birds. Its architecture is unique. The temperature inside is always comfortable. Even in the cold season it is constant. In the scorching heat it is always cool inside. And this despite the fact that the house was built from branches and dry grass. It doesn’t matter that it is located in an open place and is visible from all sides. There are a lot of birds. Such a friendly family is capable of giving a worthy rebuff to any predator. At the first danger, they raise a hubbub, and the enemy immediately retreats.

To create a separate chamber, the weaver uses several hundred fresh blades of grass. They are skillfully intertwined and attached to a pole or tree. The hanging ends of the blades of grass are connected to each other, forming a frame. Subsequently, all this is intertwined with individual blades of grass until a nest is formed.

Despite the huge number of birds living in the common house, discipline and order reign there. The violator is severely punished, including expulsion from the nest. Although, as in any team, there are lazy people here who try to live at the expense of others. For example, they try to steal material for building a nest from their relatives, or even try to occupy someone else’s chamber. As a rule, this behavior displeases other birds, and they kick the offender out of the common family. Sometimes the thief repents and comes back. They accept him only if he works regularly like everyone else.

Inside, the nest is a complex structure consisting of separate chambers in which a pair of birds lives. Their offspring are also there. The chamber is equipped with a separate entrance, which is blocked by branches to prevent the entry of predators such as snakes. Often these chambers are occupied by other birds. These include the red-headed finch and the ashen tit.

Externally, the social weaver is very similar to the common sparrow. However, it also belongs to the order of passeriformes. The bird's body is covered with pale brown feathers. There are white stripes on the wings. It is almost impossible to distinguish between females and males.

These birds cause a lot of trouble for utility workers. Their structures have decent weight. Sometimes a telegraph pole simply cannot withstand the load and falls. We have to restore everything. The birds, on the other hand, do not fly far, and try to restore the house in the same place. It is almost impossible to interfere with them.