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For
thousands of years, two third of the population in the
province of Fars, composed of different tribes, have lived
in this vast land and all the year around move constantly to
find a mild climate and green pastures to feed their sheep
and cattle.
The
Ghashgha'i tribesmen, who had immigrated to this territory
many centuries ago, is the biggest tribe in Ears and even in
Iran.
According
to historical testimonies, different groups of this tribe
moved to this land from the western and eastern regions of
the Caspian Sea and the northern province of Khorasan.
The main
occupation of the Ghashgha'i tribesmen is animal husbandry,
and the art of carpet weaving is customary only among women
and young girls.
The rugs
woven by them are called Turki-Shirazi and are rarely
offered for sate. They prefer to weave these rugs for their
own use or give them as dowry to their daughters when they
get married.
Like other
tribesmen, Ghashgha'i, too, weave their rugs without copying
from any pattern on horizontal (flat) looms secured to the
ground. Normally, they get their inspiration by referring to
another rug.
The wife of
a French orientalist, a certain Madame Diolafoi, who
together with her husband had lived for some time among the
tribesmen of Fars (1884), has written in her diary regarding
the carpet weaving of these people:
The tents
of the tribesmen in Fars protect them from the sun but not
from the cold. The weaving loom is spread on the ground at
the end of the tent.
Whenever
this tribe gets ready to move, they roll up the loom and
load it on a mule or donkey. When they reach their
destination they once again spread the loom on the ground
and start weaving.
This
constant moving sometimes causes colour change and
distortion of the rug. These women receive their training
for colour blending and weaving from the family, especially
from their mother.
No patterns
are used to weave these rugs which are solid and fast as the
dyes applied are extracted from vegetables; neither sun nor
rain change their colours and these last for generations.
The flat
woven rugs of Ghashgha'i are usually small, the standards
size being Zar-o-nim and Pardeh.
The wool
used in Ears is of the best quality. The rugs are woven in
double-weft, with Senneh knots and long pile, the prevailing
colours being red, blue and golden yellow, the dye which
extracted from the Dyer's-weed (Esparak)plant.
Synthetic
dyes have been adopted since the Second World War.
Geometrical and stylised designs are woven into the old
carpets partially being influenced by Caucasian designs,
those of the Shirvan area, in particular, are preferred. To
distinguish the old textured carpets of the Ghashgha'i rugs
is dark brown and almost black, whereas those of the
Caucasian rugs are lighter in colours.
In the
province of Fars one can find a variety of repeat patterns
as well as medallion compositions.
Geometrical
animal and bird drawings are also a common feature and are
used both as a part of repeat patterns or as filler
ornaments.
Another
specific rug which is attributed to this tribe is "Lion rug"
(Gabbeh-Shin). A small rug coarsely woven with a multi-weft
structure decorated with lion figure.
A big lion
or a few small lions are woven in parallel rows in the
centre of these rugs. Referring to historical records, the
religious and traditional beliefs and importance given to a
lion by the people of this region, it seems that the design
and texture of the "Lion rug" is the initiative of the
tribes in Ears, among them in Ghashghai's.
To confirm
this statement there is the presence of the figure of a lion
in the inscriptions, on many coins and textiles of
Sassflnian dynasty, which has remained in Persepolis for
many years. The people of this territory pay
honour and
respect to their distinguished and famous personalities, by
placing lions made of stone on their tombs.
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