cypress
Cypress rugs, Nothing like cypress could represent the Iranian culture and the cultural Iran. Iranian folks use to call their tall youth and beloved ones ‘Sarv’ (cypress) as well as their martyrs and living souls of their late relatives. It has mirrored as well in the Persian poetry and arts as a symbol of both toleration and freedom. Named Sarv in Persian, ‘Cupressus sempervirens’ is considered the very tree of life for the Iranian folks. Actually the most ancient Iranian souls still alive are some cypresses here and there on the Iranian plateau such as Abarqu and Shahrestanak cypresses, some of which reputed to have been planted by Zoroaster, the Iranian prophet.
It is deeply associated with the ancient faith. The Zoroaster himself has been symbolized as a cypress in the Persian epic of Shahnameh. He implanted a cypress in Kashmar at the time of semi-mythological king Kavi Vishtaspa (kay-Gushtasp) as a token of the faith the king put on him. Till AD 861 the scared cypress had been there in Kashmar, being praised by Zoroastrians, but it had been cut under the command of fanatical Caliph Al-Mutawakkil in the mentioned year. Cypress rugs.
cypresses have been depicted widely in Iranian arts in various styles. Even the famous motif of boteh could interpreted as a stylized cypress. Cypress rugs.
