Quarterly Scientific-Research Goljaam

The majority of the Shasavan tribe lives in northwest Iran near the city of Ardabil and Dasht-e Moghan. Small groups of Shahsavan, however, moved to central Iran near Saveh, Garmsar, and Varamin. In Farsi (official language of Iran) Shahsavan means "those who love the Shah (king)"; Most of their weavings consist of practical pieces such as saddle bags, traveling bags and animal trappings. Their textiles frequently use the Soumak and Kilim weaves. It is likely that traditionally each clan of the Shahsavan confederation had its own designs and carpet presents its idea — the idea of a reality that simultaneously unfolds the Turkish-speaking Shahsavan people weave bags in the sumak technique. A series of large diamond latch hook medallions repeats down the field, each enclosed in a compartment of different color. Shahsavan weavings have a strongly tribal flavor with highly abstract, geometrical designs and rich colors. They are sometimes distinguished by certain shades of lavender or deep pink and salmon tones, in conjunction with soft blues. Shahsavan carpets are very similar to Caucasian carpets. The Shahsevan tribes were originally transported and resettled in the Northwest from Central Asia by the Persian kings in the seventeenth century. This helps to explain the ties between these rugs and those of the Turkmans and other Central Asian tribes. This paper discusses the ancient roots of tribal weaving, the interrelatedness of common designs and tribal motifs in Shahsavan and Caucasusian Kilims. Larger Shahsavan rugs are uncommon, and often they are mistaken for rugs from the nearby Caucasus region.

This article is trying to study production and distribution system based on providing value chain with the aim of identifying production & distribution system of hand-made carpet firstly; and studying the feasibility of changing from the push system to the pull system regarding the viewpoints of the elite and expert, secondly. In order to achieve this goal, the descriptive method of research has been used. Statistical population of this study includes elite and informed experts in production & distribution of hand-made carpets. Due to acquaintance of Iran National Carpet Center (INCC) with these people, 55 experts have been selected as the statistical samples. For collecting required information, a questionnaire has been used. The results of this study show that the present system of production & distribution of hand-made carpet in Iran is based on push system, which means the production & distribution of this product is not totally based on customer taste and Iranian experts active in this field try to provide carpets for target customers with hope that they will see those carpets and their art and hopefully will be encouraged to purchase them. But in most of cases, this method is not an effective one and competitors are producing their carpets incorporating the understanding of the customers’ taste regarding color, shape, size and drawing. Also the results of this study show that with planning and informing active people in this industry, it is possible to change the system from the push type to the pull one.

Books and topics of traditional arts (especially hand-made carpet) have not been compiled based on scientific methods. For years, the literature of carpet design and motif is strangely non-structural and full of deficiencies; even the major writers of the field follow in others’ footsteps. This article tries to prepare the ground for a different viewpoint: a better understanding and classification of “design” and “motif” in Iranian carpets requires solid and reliable bases. Review of those books which have mentioned designs and motifs and have introduced a classification for them reveals that the definitions are heterogenic, references and structures are unknown and there are many sharp and tremendous differences among them, as if there is no cognitive and conceptual objective to be drawn from such classifications. None of such categories can be regarded as scientific, therefore design and motif shall be defined using comprehensive methods but not merely descriptive ones. Ultimately this paper proposes that “design” can be considered as the architecture and overall image of those motifs included in a text, while “motif” can be regarded as the element which portrays the design by means of its capabilities.

Motifs pass through the mental filters of different people. The time and mind canals govern key roles in forming the designs. Most of the carpets’ designs and motifs are the products of the cultural exchanges among different nations and races. Cultural and social products such as stories, dialects, traditions, customs etc. are exchanged among different nations and races, meanwhile get local characteristics; motifs are also not apart from this formula. They are also modified and changed in the process of movement from one location to another one. Each motif can be considered as the offspring of the social needs of its community in a certain period of time. The cursive designs of Heris also follow such formula. The organic and urban designs (i.e. Shah Abbassi medallion design) have been changed into a geometrical design by the carpet weavers and consequently innovative visual models have been introduced to visual culture of the carpets as the result of gradual mental-oriented changes and modification of those designs. The relationship between some motifs in Heris carpets such as: “Gobak”, “Lalak”, “Toosbagha” etc. and mythological elements is significant. The mental-oriented weavers of this field have created a collection of new motifs by utilizing simile and abstraction.

Carpet is the most important goods for non-oil export in Iran. More than 25 percent of non-oil export income has come from carpet since 40 years ago. It has a high share in the value of non-oil exports in our country. Accordingly, the goal of this research is studying Iran’s hand-woven carpet export and recognizing goal markets and obstacles of being present in such markets. Doing this, firstly, comparative advantage of Iran’s carpet has been calculated during the years 2000-2005 using RCA, RSCA and indices and then it has been tried to find the potential export markets by identifying Iran’s carpet importer countries and prioritizing them using numerical taxonomy method. The results show that in the field of hand-woven carpet, Iran has a comparative advantage for exporting. But downward trend of comparative advantage of hand-woven carpet during the studied years suggests weakening of competitive position of this product in the world. In other words, downward trend of comparative advantage index of hand-woven carpet indicates the gradual loss of our country’s expertise in carpet export. Prioritizing of the target markets show that the main export markets for Iran’s hand-woven carpet are: America, UAE, Japan and Germany respectively.

The motif of tree is one of the most important and original motifs of decoration and mysticism in human’s art. Different kinds of plants and trees that may be considered as the symbol of “the prayer human” can be found in many historical works in Iran and other parts of the world; each expressing a special meaning and sometimes multiple meanings. “Weeping willow” is one of these motifs that can be found in art works and miniatures of our country, especially in hand-knitted carpets of some areas. Accordingly, the Chaharmahal & Bakhtiaris’ carpets which are classified among tribal and rural categories present such motif especially in carpets with “Kheshti Design”. In this paper the different kinds of such motif have been introduced and their formal and semantic aspects have been studied in Kheshti carpets of different areas of Caharmahal & Bakhtiaris Province.

“Garden” and “Carpet” are the most expressive Iranian artworks rooted in Iran’s culture and civilization which show beliefs, values and interests of Iranian artists, both garden and carpet designers. This paper studies the relations between these two valuable arts in Iran. At first the background of two fields has been reviewed and then the designs of historical gardens and garden carpets have been compared. On the other hand, this paper studies the status of garden and Paradise in Iranian beliefs and customs and also in carpet designing.

In this research we are to determine the maturity of electronic commerce (the amount of usage of electronic devices and tools for performing the organization’s activities) in the export of Iranian hand-knitted carpet, as a base for recognizing the current situation and thus offering methods for improving the level of electronic maturity (achieving higher levels of electronic maturity) for organizations supporting the exports, exporting companies and the organization for hand-knitted carpet. For this purpose the systematic model of maturity of product exporting process, which is of a systematic view and involves both aspects of organizational and applied, is used. The parameters are analyzed using the designed surveys (Likret Scale), with hypothetical mean of (µ=3), and the percentage of answered questions to each choice. The processes of acceptance and rejection were performed by T-test and Nova test, and since in two-dimensional maturity model, the grade of export electronic maturity corresponds to the organizations (companies) that have the least grade of maturity, in analyzing the results, it was found that the hand-knitted carpet export companies, though being in the first rank, have the lowest rank. Therefore the export maturity in the first rank will be determined, whilst the supporting companies and organization for hand-knitted carpet are in the fourth rank of electronic maturity.

According to the thinkers and historians of Iran history during Islamic epoch, The Safavid era has always been recognized as an era with most magnificent and powerful national-religious state including the controlling central government. Due to establishing new government infrastructures for politics, economics and culture in this epoch, a marvelous revolution happened in the social life of Safavid era; among such infrastructures, economic and commerce factors were especially of great importance for an operational platform to such an extent that it became one of the most critical priorities of grand policy-making of Safavid kings. Considerable capacity of carpet industry due to presence of many centers providing raw material such as: silk and cotton, and also the production and preparation of invaluable carpets in the carpet workshops of economic cities of Safavid era, paved the path for the development of carpet trading as a strategic commodity. In this paper, it has been tried to clarify the status of carpet industry in the foreign trading policy of the Safavid era using a historical analysis approach and reviewing reliable history books covering that era and also travelogues of European travelers in Safavid epoch. This paper also tries to provide a reasonable answer to the question that what the role economic cities played in industrialization of carpet industry

“Health” is the perfect bio-psychosocial comfortness and psychological health is identified one of the most important parts of person's health. Job exhaustion is affected by some parameters such as job environment. The purpose of this study is the determination of relation between job exhaustion and psychological health in some of carpet-knitters and also the control group in Naeen city. The method was analytical-descriptive and the samples were about 200 carpet-knitters from carpet-knitting workshops in Naeen that were evaluated for psychological health and job exhaustion and their results were compared with those of the control group. The tools of this study were: SCL-90-R questionnaire for psychological health & MBI questionnaire for job exhaustion that their validity and reliability have been proved by valid researches. The data were analyzed by SPSS software and two groups were compared using Descriptive Statistics and T-test. Results showed that there was a significant difference between two groups in subscales of SCL-90 questionnaire (depression, anxiety, hypochondriasis, interpersonal sensivity, aggression, phobia and psychosis) (P<0/05), but for two subscales (paranoia and obsession or compulsion) there is not significant difference between the groups (P<0/05). Also based on the results of the study, there is a significant difference between scores of job exhaustion in both groups (P<0/05). This research revealed that psychological health and job exhaustion correlate with together and psychological health problems and job exhaustion in carpet-knitters are more than in control group.

“Life Tree” is an evergreen tree which its fruits bring eternity and immortality and is the essence of all trees. This paper is introducing different forms of sacred tree and sacred plant (life tree) on Persian carpets. In addition, through comparison of more ancient concepts of these forms, the principle of continuity of life of this symbol can be taken into consideration on these carpets. At first, this analysis is studying the relationship between life tree with altar and light symbols, an earthen jar, protector animals, lotus and phoenix. The available samples in ancient Persian art and Zoroastrian’s legends are found, then designs of life tree in accompany with these symbols on Persian carpets are introduced. Altar is the symbol of the place of relationship between heavenly world and underneath world, cresset is a symbol of light, lotus is a symbol of eternity and renewal life and earthen jar or flowerpot is a symbol of blessing and rain bringing; phoenix and other protector animals are symbols which according to Persian’s legends, they are related to the concept of tree. On the other hand, the imagination of paradise, which is the basic thought in Persian civilization, and believing in the existence of good or evil tree and life tree in paradise, is one of the effective factors in illustrating sacred tree on garden carpets. In these gardens, cypress tree, willow tree, full of flower and vine trees and also stylized forms of the tree can be found. “Ghabghabi” (frame into frame) designs (belonging to Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari area), repeated patterns of tree and medallion with repetition of tree in four symmetrical directions are also other styles of illustrating life tree in paradise.

European tapestries and Persian kilims are the most useful types of flat and non-pile textiles in both regions bearing differences in terms of appearance such as: design, motif and color and texture and also in terms of specific functions which have been assigned to them. This study, therefore, has been conducted with the aim of identifying and comparing these valuable handmade textiles so that it may provide some grounds for improvement and development of Persian kilims while preserving their artistic identity. Although Iranian kilims and European tapestries use similar tools and materials and weaving technologies, but due to certain cultural and spiritual characteristics of Iran and Europe, they are different in terms of designs and patterns, color compositions, sizes as well as functions. Library-based and documentary studies were performed for achieving the aim of the paper and reviewing and comparing these types of Iranian and European handmade textiles revealed many similarities and differences

The main objective of this study is evaluation of the production systems in hand-weaving household. Therefore, we use multiple criteria decision making (Taxonomy, Delphi) whit respect to economic criteria, social criteria, management criteria and qualitative criteria. The results indicate that, based on the performance of production system, employer system in large scale firms was found to be the top rank and as a result it became the best production system for the carpet industry in Azerbaijan provinces

Sistan rug is one of the most genuine native artifacts of the region which is closely linked to the spirit and substance of the people of this land, since in these years less attention has been paid to this original art and it has been less frequently studied by the relevant experts and researchers, day by day changes has been made in its design and color that has resulted in the deterioration and disappearance of the genuine regional designs and there is a concern that the figure origins, employed in them, would be forgotten by the elapse of time. So in order to preserve and restore figures of this valuable cultural and artistic heritage, it is necessary to detect the genuine figures and use them in providing new sketches having genuineness and this cannot be accomplished but by seeking to find the origin of the figure origins of the Sistan rug. In this investigation, the efforts of the authors has been exerted on that through studying the Sistan rugs, using the survey as well as library methods and their comparison with the figures on the buff pottery in the shahr-e-sookhte (burned city) we would be able to acknowledge the originality and precedence of the Sistan carpet figures and by linking the Sistan rug with its past glory, we would pave the way to provide original figures of the Sistan rugs. Undoubtedly, the buff pottery of shahr-e-sookhte, with regard to its thousands of years of records, play an important role in identifying again the original figures of Sistan, so the collection and analysis of the Sistan rug and their comparison with the buff pottery of shahr-e-sookhte which would result in giving identity to them, can be considered a big step forward in generating original and standard figures of the rug and reproduction of this immanent art would provide the missed loop in the claim of the present pictorial culture of Sistan to complete the link with its past which is a pride

Regarding the importance of handmade carpet advertising, variety of advertising tools and financial resources limit, prioritization of the tools by expert opinion can be effective in programming and planning on carpet artisan. Two main objectives are to be achieved in this research. The first objective determining importance factor of evaluation indices of handmade carpet advertising tools and the second objective determining priority of advertising tools used in introducing the commodity to customer in domestic target markets. Statistical population in this research includes experts aware of handmade carpet advertising and promotional tools in Tehran province. To access the first objective, eight indices of handmade carpet advertising and promotional tools have been brought up mainly coverage, cost, promptness, durability, trustworthiness, quality, influence and easiness to use. On the basis of Group AHP method and utilization of expert opinions, above indices have been compared in pairs, in determining priority of advertising and promotional tools also on the basis of expert opinions multi-criteria decision making and TOPSIS have been applied. Effectiveness index with the importance coefficient %224, promptness index with the importance coefficient %168, quality index with the importance coefficient %140 and coverage index with the importance coefficient %125 are the main evaluation indices of an advertising and promotional tool. In other words, the more effective, prompt and qualitative a tool covers more people in target society; the more is its importance. Hence, TV, in person presentation, specialized magazines and newspaper are four tools in higher priorities according to mentioned eight indices

To study the way of folding handmade carpets, the selected sample has been put under pressure of 50g/cm2 weight at three different states. The pressure has increased uniformly and continuously at 100,200, 500, 1000 and 1500 g/cm2. The thickness of the carpet has been recorded continuously during the measurement of the thickness of the carpet sample. The pressing parameters of the carpet have been calculated in KES-F system with simulation and fitting of two components model of de-jong pressure. Also, the thickness of the part that is not able to be pressed is estimated. Based on the obtained results, it has been shown that pressing energy in the curved folded part of the carpet is very low, but the pressing energy in the part with two layers of the carpet on each other is very high. Nevertheless, the percentage of elasticity in two layers of the carpet placed on each other is remarkably low. It shows that the sensitivity and flexibility of this area is more in comparison with two layers of the carpet. On the other hand, the thickness of the part that is not able to be pressed in the area with two layers of the carpet on each other is more than that of the investigated areas. In this way, the pressing is carried out by piercing the upper naps on the lower ones. Without folding and flatting of the carpet, it is not pressed and just upper layer naps are pressed on the lower layers. In this study, the phenomenon of Domino folding is used to describe the folding behavior of the handmade carpet under static pressing

Iranian carpets with decorative elements are one of the elements taken from the lines of Kufi inscriptions, forms the third and Submit. Inscriptions can be divided into several different types are. They are the kind of writing verses, poems and birth certificates have been inserted in your carpet and other types of decorative only and free of any form and shape of the article itself, the inscriptions are associated. Decorative element of creativity into the article that Iranian artists know best achieved, as the geometry of the process of dry-looking Henry had become beautiful. Inscription as a visual element to the text and located where the readings feature a variety of analysts have calculated. This rug from the perspective Companion with other elements and can be analyzed from the perspective of succession and are reading. So the inscription, but rather as a document as a text within the text of the other larger, the carpet, as well as overall integration into a home where the mosque is located, can be different readings. It should be noted that this paper based on library research formed

Iran’s carpet owes its basic part of artistic aspect to its own patterns and motifs. The transference of these patterns on woven carpets is done in different methods including “plan handkerchiefs”. Plans handkerchief acts as a mediator between the mind of the designer artist and the hands of the weaver artist. These patterns which are placed on cloths, besides their innate role as models for carpet weaving, increase the weavers’ designing and imaginative faculty and by giving variety to carpet productions of the region, play an important role in preservation and continuance of motifs as worthwhile heritage. The extension of new checkered plans has reduced the appearance of plan-handkerchiefs in Heris carpet weaving culture, and it has intensely reduced the variation of carpets’ patterns and motifs. 

This paper investigates and analyses geometry in Mihrabi carpet design in Safavid period. These carpets are very important group of Persian carpets in Safavid era. Analysis method is based on the main disciplinary lines in frames. The ultimate objective of this analysis is achieving principal and dynamic points in design composition and suggesting sound geometrical patterns underlying these designs. The conclusion was made that the past designers have turned to geometry as a principal base in carpet designing, and have drawn the designs on the basis of geometry. In designing Mihrabi carpets in Safavid period, just like other arts, special proportions were used in dimensions and some patterns were applied in designs.

Regarding the design, pattern and color of Timurid carpets, although no sound and safe one of such period has been survived, there are so many paintings addressing the carpets that most probably have been produced in that time. These paintings are mostly accessible from various manuscripts that have been developed by Timurid princes and patrons. We can even reproduce a whole carpet by analyzing these paintings. One of such manuscripts was created in Harat in the royal library of Baysonghor Mirza under supervising of Ja’far Tabrizi and is dated back to 1429, namely “Shanameh-ye-Baysonghori”. In this paper we are going to analyze six paintings of the manuscript, and to determine the design, pattern, color and even designers of Timurid carpets. This research is descriptive-analytical in nature and its necessity is due to understanding the carpets of the past eras and introducing them to designers and artists of nowadays carpet industry.