ORIGINS

In life, things come about by necessity. So it was with Persian carpets 5000 ago. Imagine you live in a dry arid country that very cold in winter with snow and blazing hot in summer with little water. Sheep can do well under such conditions. Their wool is like renewable insulation. Sheer the sheep and use the wool for carpets. So it evolved.

Most of the population back then was tribal en each tribe had their own characteristics and used local plants and berries etc. to make the dyes. So the industry was born. Huge brick vats were built as dye baths where they lit a fire beneath to extract the dye. Hanks of wool are dropped in and stirred with a stick. Then the wool is thrown onto pebbles to dry. Nomad tribes make their weaving frame not too big as they move with the flocks for grazing to dismantle them. These carpets are designed using what they see in nature. Animals, small trees etc. Their imagination is their, only inspiration.

As the season changed carpets were raised on frames for shade in summer but on the ground in winter.

Towns sprang up to form a central hub like Hamadan where weavers could bring items to sell. It caught on, and more people kept the industry increasing into cities where fine pieces were made, including fine silk items. The Shah loved flowers and incorporated them into his Court carpets as the surroundings were so drab.

So there is it in a nutshell" - Celia Riach.