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Tehran |
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Almost a
hundred and fifty years ago carpet weaving started in the
few limited workshops of Tehran.
The
creative and interesting design of Tehran carpets with their
harmonious, pleasant and attractive colours usually are not
familiar to everyone, yet one can easily distinguish the
origin of the exquisite handicraft.
In effect,
the skilful artist in Iran preferred to establish and create
their masterpieces in Tehran.
One of the
main reasons for the importance of the art and industry of
carpet weaving in Tehran is the presence of numerous
workshops and factories for washing, spinning and dyeing the
first rate quality and standardised wool in the city and its
outskirts. Moreover, the establishment of the National
Carpet Company and its endeavour to achieve and improve the
quality of carpets in Iran, the Carpet Museum, and finally
the big bazaar where the most profitable carpet transactions
take place influences to a great deal the importance of
Tehran as being the centre of the art and industry of carpet
weaving in Iran.
The Carpet
Museum of Iran was inaugurated in Tehran in 1978. In this
vast, beautiful museum with its facade showing the loom of
carpet weaving one can find a collection of the most
exquisite, priceless and precious carpets of Iran from the
17 century to the present time.
Presenting
the collections of samples of different hand-woven carpets
of different areas, research of the background, evolution
and improvisation of the art of carpet weaving, and the
temporary exhibitions of hand-woven carpets and kilims of
Iran, are the aims of this museum. This museum, in addition
to introducing and diffusing this art, is trying, by opening
classes to teach the weaving, repairing and darning of
hand-made carpets, to fulfill its cultural and education
role.
If we add
to this list of distinctive efforts of the Academy of Fine
Arts and its competent and talented artisans, we realise to
some extent the reasons behind the renowned name of Tehran
carpet.
Due to
immigration and the settling in Tehran of numerous weavers
from various provinces of Iran, many different kinds of
designs can be seen among Tehran carpets.
Most of the
Tehran carpets have a light background.
Some are
copied from ancient drawings and some are new and modern
creations with medallion and corner, trees and animals,
geometrical and multiple armlet designs. Portrait weaving is
also one of the specialities of the skilled artist.
One of the
most famous of these artist was Rassam Arab Zfldeh, (death
February 1998) in whose workshop, until recently, many of
the beautiful and precious carpets of Iran have been
produced.
The wool
used for weaving is of the best quality and to better
enhance the design the pile is cut very short.
Tehran is
one of the few places where the carpets are woven both with
Persian and Turkish knots.
Some
carpets are also woven in the surrounding villages of
Tehran, such as Varamin, Taleghan and Garmsar
Karaja
The runners and small rugs of Karaja, a weaving centre near
Ahar in the Heriz area, are unmistakable.
Sizes: all formats up to 10 sq. m (110 sq. ft.) and larger.
Runners arc especially common.
Colors: the ground is generally red, very occasionally light
brown or blue. Borders are mostly dark blue.
Patterns: characteristic Karaja squares, alternating with
booked hexagons, both with simple fillings in a Caucasian
style are used in the field and borders.
Foundation: warps and wefts are cotton,
Knots: Turkish knotted, coarse to medium fine with 1,000 -
2,000 knots per sq. dm (65-130 per sq. in.).
Pile: medium to high depending upon the fineness of the
weave.
Quality: low to medium in quality and in price. A carpet for
everyday use. Very good pieces are rarely on the market.
Vararmin
About 50 kilometers (35 miles) south-east of Tehran on the
road to Meshed, lies Varamin, one of the centers of the
Mongol Empire in the 13th and 14th centuries- Architectural
monuments remain to bear witness
to this time. In the recent past, the town developed into an
important north Persian weaving centre that produced carpets
and kilims of high quality for the market, especially that
of Tehran. Small format rugs woven by nomads in earlier
periods are now rare.
Sizes: principally room size carpets, 2 x 3 m (approx. 7 ft.
6 in. x 10 ft.) and above, up to 10 sq. m (110 sq. ft.).
Early nomad pieces measure up to 2 sq. m. Runners are rare.
Colors: indigo, a very warm dark red and occasionally a
light royal blue, Often served as field colors. Light beige,
brown, red and mixtures of these shades, gold, and
occasionally green, were used for ornaments and outlines. In
general the carpets have a warm palette. As well as endless
repeats based on rosettes the mina-khani design and stylized
floral patterns were woven.
Foundation: warps and wefts are principally of cotton; nomad
rugs often have wool wefts.
Knots: Persian knots, fine to very fine, 2.500-3,300 knots
per sq. dm (160-225 per sq. in.), nomad rugs up to 2,000
knots per sq. dm (130 per sq. in.).
Pile: excellent quality wool, clipped very flat, nomad rugs
are cut somewhat higher.
Quality: not only the town carpets hut also the increasingly
rare nomad rugs belong to the highest quality Persian
products and are extremely durable.
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