Quarterly Scientific-Research Goljaam

Village weavings, particularly flatwoven Gelims, are the products of personal lastes, gifts, and individual creativity. In the meantime, the genuineness of their designs and colors is rooted in a collective genius enriched over the centuries. This collective genius seems to be well-preserved in the flatweav of East Mazandaran villagers, whose design repertoire is not confined to sheer imitation of nature, but is rich in respect of motifs of their own. That is why their weavings stand as documents of their ideas and their way of life, besides being useful and easy to use and carry products.

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.

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

During collecting information regarding “kilims” in Chaharmahal-va-Bakhtiari province, it was understood that whatever we recognize under the general term of “Khorjin” can be divided into three categories: small, normal and big ones as described below. (1) Small Khorjins (50×25 cm) which are weaved in both parts of province, i.e. Chaharmahal & also Bakhtiari. They are used for keeping expensive things and objects, documents and also women personal things. (2) Normal Khorjins (100×50 cm) which are weaved for caring foods, things and usual tools which are related to person's job. These Khorjins are produced by Chaharmahalies and Ghashghaies. (3) Big Khorjins (150×100 cm) which are weaved to displace large amount of loads, dresses and light beds. Just Bakhtiari people produce them. Most of these hand-woven items are produced with simple Kilim method, but for weaving some of them, people use pile techniques and some special and important weaving methods special to this province and known as “Rendi” and “Soozani”. From viewpoint of designing, these beautiful products have some designs which are originated from the beliefs and customs of these people or are produced by these tact weavers in the case of being impressed by surrounding environment, or by using geometrical drawings. Apart form ownership issue, safe-keeping and producing something that meet human's needs, the most important thing regarding them is their beautiful coloring schemes and wonderful drawings which delights their viewers.

 Peacock is one of the most prominent animal motifs which can be seen as abstract or geometric shapes in kilims woven by nomadic tribes, especially Shahsavan and Qashqai. The diversity of this motif in hand-woven kilims of these two tribes led the author to introduce, classify and then analyze it from different viewpoints such as color and shape. This paper tries to answer the question: What are the most important similarities and dissimilarities of peacock motifs woven by Qashqai and Shahsavan tribes? And which tribe shows more ethnic diversity? The hypothesis suggests that peacocks woven by Qashqai tribe enjoy more variety of form and color than those by Shahsavan tribe. The research method is field study (especially by finding of peacock motif) and library-based one, and this is of analytical-descriptive research. Two-heads peacocks of Shahsavan tribe which have been transferred to the kilims of Qashqai tribe and the Khamse Arab tribes such as Arab Jenni tribe via migration and other communications are seen as the most important findings of this study.