Lion in Rugs

LION

Lion in Rugs, Lion is a well celebrated animal in the Persian culture. Lions appear on rock reliefs as well as textiles and carpets during the Iranian history, representing heroes, Shahs of Persia and even saints or holy spirits of various religions such as Mithraism, Zoroastrianism and Islam

Lion in Rugs

It is safe to claim that every religion believed by Iranians used lion as a holy symbol, associating it deeply with the sun. For Iranian Muslims it symbolizes Imam Ali, first of the Shi’a Imams. Lion is also considered a national symbol for Iranians, used to be on the Iranian flag in the Lion-and-Sun emblem, till the revolution in 1979.

Lion in Rugs

Asiatic lions with rather short mane and apparent ears are depicted on a wide range of Persian hand-woven pieces from royal rugs of the Safavid and Qajar courts to tribal gabbehs of Zagros’ folks. A special kind of the latter, woven by tribes of the Fars Province, is called ‘Gabbeh Shiri’ (Lion Gabbeh) having usually a solo figure of a proud lion. Lion in Rugs.

lion pattern on rug

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