Tabriz is an ancient city on the slope of the Sahand Mountain, East Azerbaijan province, Iran. It is the biggest city in western Iran, with a population of over 1.73 million. Tabriz was the World Rug Weaving City by the World Crafts Council in October 2015. This article will introduce you to the rich history beyond Tabriz rug and its unique and elegant features.
Where Is Tabriz?
Making it the first capital of modern Iran, Shah Ismail the Great was crowned in Tabriz as the Shah of Persia in 1501. This was to start a great revival for the Iranian culture. As the capital of the first Safavid’s Shahs, Tabriz attracted lots of artisans. Many of whom have made a new way in the Iranian art tradition. Shah Tahmasb was fond of luxuriant rugs and would give them as diplomatic gifts. He established rug workshops in Tabriz to serve that purpose, and it is said that he himself was a rug designer.
The second growth production occurred in the 19th century. Besides the rug weaving tradition, Tabriz has been well-known as a center for rug trading. The Tabrizi merchants established rug workshops which were the first non-royal ones in Iran. Being located on the route to Trabzon and Istanbul, the city has also been the main gathering place for European rug traders.
Still vivid and active, the Bazaar of Tabriz is one of the oldest bazaars in the Middle East. And the largest covered bazaar in the world. It is one of Iran’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites, attracting tourists from all over the world to its rug souk.
Technical Aspects and Structure of The Tabriz Rug
The Tabriz rug is mostly two-weft with Turkish/symmetrical knots. Nap is mainly woolen or silken, and warp and weft are of cotton or silk threads. The wool comes mostly from Maku. It is rough and bristly. Rezaeieh, Khoy, and Salmas produce wool, but not as much as Maku, thanks to its rich pastures.
Tabrizi weavers have their own kind of loom, which is famous as the Tabriz loom. The Kilim-weave is also unique and similar to the Turkish style. It is relatively more elegant than the typical rustic style. Workshops in Tabriz are primarily spacious, bright, and clean, with fresh air and good hygiene standards.
Dyeing and painting of Tabriz rug
Profited by herbal and mineral dyes of Azerbaijan’s mountains, the Tabrizi dyers have succeeded in attaining different shades of color. So the rug painters of Tabriz enjoy a wide range of colors on their pallets. And, also making various compositions with this range is their absolute profession. It is mostly the very liveliness of the colors that catch lovers’ eyes. Natural dyes include Madder, coccus, reseda, and indigo. There is a kind of grey mineral dye that is mined out of Mishe Pareh Mines. A dye that is called Khak Siah (namely Black Earth).
Designs and patterns of the Tabriz rug
Tabriz designs are the result of the admixture of elements from all over Iran. Kerman medallions, Mashhad Lachaks, and Kashan margins gather to form something unique and new. Eslimi (Arabesque), Shah Abbasi, and Medallion are the major designs in Tabriz. Other designs are Shekargah (Hunting Garden), Sheikh Safi, Landscape and Four Seasons, Vase, Fish, Draxti (Tree), Qabi (Frame), Xitai, and Gol Farang.
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