What makes a carpet stands above the rest is not just the craftsmanship and finesse that makes a rug aesthetically pleasing to the beholder. The beauty of a carpet will amplify a great deal if it is accompanied by profound meaning, history, culture and, more importantly, the story that it has to tell. This collection represents such carpets.
Qum, a dusty city at the desert's edge, is revered by Shias for its holy shrine. The tradition of carpet weaving in the town is relatively new, beginning in the early 20th century, just before World War II, when the popularity of Oriental rugs in the West was at its peak. Nearby centres like Kashan, a significant carpet-producing hub, along with Arak, were overwhelmed by demand. Consequently, merchants from Kashan and Arak established looms in Qum, capitalizing on the presence of weavers already living in the city, drawn by their religious beliefs and the desire to be near the shrine despite the city’s limited water supply and harsh environment.
These weavers, representing various ethnic backgrounds and towns, had a wealth of experience in weaving techniques and traditions. Their presence in Qum and the establishment of workshops by merchants created a unique opportunity to harness this pool of skilled labour. This collaboration marked the beginning of Qum as a new centre for Persian rug weaving, producing some of the finest carpets. The industry was built from the ground up, with merchants hiring designers from across the region to develop specific design styles. These styles, inspired by centuries-old patterns from other cities but with a unique touch of finesse, set Qum's carpets apart.
Over the past four decades, the domestic market's strong demand for fine rugs has driven weavers to produce superfine silk carpets. Today, Qum rugs are celebrated for their exceptional quality, often featuring over a million knots per square meter in silk.
Earlier examples, like the rug presented here, are generally made with quality wool and natural dyes. This rug’s pattern, inspired by the tribal Bakhtiaru rugs and modified to fit the fine city weave and the rust hue acquired from madder roots, adds an astonishing charm to this tastefully woven piece.
Here is a Tabriz carpet in "Ardabil" design, made circa the 2nd quarter of the 20th century (300x400cm). As you can see from the second picture, there are 81 knots per square centimetre of this piece. That means the weavers of this rug have painstakingly made 9.7 million knots to create this beauty. A skilled weaver can tie around 6000 knots a day on such a carpet. Please do the math, considering that no more than three weavers can work simultaneously, calculate the time to complete such a masterpiece.
Then add about three months it takes to prepare the material, including hand spinning and dyeing the yarn and, most importantly, drafting the design and its conversion to a form that weavers can follow.
Do you have the number? could you imagine?
The weavers must make every knot consistent with others; otherwise, they could not achieve such a mathematical harmony.
An unbelievable work goes into creating a carpet, most of the time, with passion and love. This work is an ancient craft with a deep root in the culture and traditions of the people who make them.
The story of the conflicts between mouse and cat is best known for Tom and Jerry. Their eternal skirmishes have amused many of us since childhood. However, very few have heard of another mouse and cat tale, a Persian one, that Obeid Zakani wrote a few hundred years back in the 14th century AD. The piece is Obeid's best-known work in his usual sarcastic style. It is a daring criticism of the rulers of his time.
The story starts with the sorrow and repentance of a cat for killing a mouse;
"Court of the Highest, I repent; no more will my sharp teeth be soaked in mouses gore. And for the blood that I've unjustly shed, I'll give the poor as alms twelve pounds of bread."*
A little mouse who was hiding behind the pulpit heard the cat's moans and saw his tears and ran to other mice to break the fantastic news;
"Great news! The cat converted. He repents. He's filled with sacred Muslim sentiments. This paragon of pious virtues keeps prayers vigils in the mosque, and moans and weeps."*
However, the happiness of the mouse nation didn't last long. The prayer beads, the long beard and the pulpit soon became tools of deception. The cat kills five of seven elder mouses who go to congratulate him on his conversion.
A war breaks out between the army of cats and mice shortly after...
(*from the translation of the Mush O Gorbeh, by Dick Davis)
The picture is from a detail of an antique Persian Kashan. It is a beautiful example of the influence of thousands of years old culture in such fantastic rugs whose beauty is far more profound than their intricate patterns on the surface.
Most of the time, the weavers and designers of astonishing Persian carpets remain unknown. I often come across fascinating rugs that arouse my curiosity. Many of them appear to have hidden messages within their dancing motives.
The early 20th century Kashan here is one of such rugs. Why is the size of the doe so disproportionate? Why the deer appears so dispirited? Why is the bird on the tree alone? Why all the others on the border are in pairs and kissing each other? What does the river represent?
I wish I could get the answers from the designer/weaver, but perhaps she or he is long gone, and there is no way for us to find the answers. In the meantime, we could let our imagination fly.
Visit us this weekend to see a wonderful collection and listen to the stories behind our fascinating rugs.
Almost two years of painstaking work by several people to create a true masterpiece. The result is breathtaking.
Detail of a magnificent Isfahan by Nael.
"Over every mountain-top
Lies peace,
In every tree-top
You scarcely feel
A breath of wind;
The little birds are hushed in the wood.
Wait, soon you too
Will be at peace."
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
In picture: detail of an old Kashmar carpet.
The calming radiance of this rug, the choice of colours and design and its magnificence is astonishing. Creation of such a masterpiece is not possible without involving a beautiful soul and mind, such as that of the grandmaster Alabaf.
"19 (56). 'The waters stand there boiling, boiling up in the heart of the sea Ptlitika, and, when cleansed there, they run back again from the sea Ptlitika to the sea Vouru-kasha, towards the well-watered tree, whereon grow the seeds of my plants of every kind.'
20 (60). 'Those plants, I, Ahura Mazda, rain down upon the earth, to bring food to the faithful, and fodder to the beneficent cow; to bring food to my people that they may live on it..."
THE ZEND-AVESTA (Zoroastrian Scripture, Circa 1500-1000bc)
Translated by: James Darmesteter
"Saena (Senmurv) (A pre-Zoroastrian entity)– the great falcon who sits in the top branches of the Tree of All Seeds. When she flaps her wings, the seeds are scattered and carried away by the winds, with the help of the bird Chamrosh, to land in the earth. Associated with the great dog-bird Simurgh, although some scholars claim they are two distinct entities."
Ancient Persian Gods, Heroes, and Creatures - The Complete List, An article by: Joshua J. Mark
Meet one of the best interpretations of a "TREE OF ALL SEEDS", commonly known as the tree of life that I have seen. Thousands of years of culture and tradition have enriched the designs of authentic Persian rugs. The designer has so tastefully translated myths and legends into this marvellous piece of art.
Tehran, Circa late 20th century.
