TEHRAN – Selections of handmade rugs, carpets, and tableau rugs woven by tribeswomen have been put on show at a local exhibition, which is currently underway in Zanjan province.

The sales exhibition is aimed to highlight nomadic skills passed down from generation to generation for millennia, CHTN reported.

Empowering women in local communities is chosen as the focal theme of the event organized to mark the 44th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution.

Persian carpets are among the world’s most intricate and labor-intensive handicrafts, as weavers have to spend several months in front of a loom, stringing and knotting thousands of threads. When the weaving is finally done, the carpet is cut, washed, and put out in the sun to dry.

Persian carpets have been affected for millennia by invaders, politicians, and even adversaries. Before the 15th century, when art was already reaching its pinnacle, little is known about Persian carpet making, as the Britannica Encyclopedia notes.

The artistic scene in Persia had been negatively impacted by the Mongol invasion in the 13th century, and the Il-Khan dynasty’s (1256–1333) renaissance only partially reversed this. Timur’s conquests were largely disastrous for Persia, but he spared artisans and allowed them to work on his enormous palaces in Samarkand because he valued their skills.

The demand for the production of numerous carpets with gold and silver threading that were eventually exported to Europe increased later in the 17th century. While some came from Kashan, the majority of the best were produced in Isfahan. They resemble European Renaissance and Baroque idioms with their opulence and high-keyed fresh colors.

Beginning in the early eighth century, both nomads and city dwellers continued to create carpets using dyes that had been perfected over many years, each group continuing an authentic tradition. These more basic rugs from the “low school” are frequently beautifully designed, made of high-quality materials, and employ good craftsmanship. However, they are not intended for the impatient Western market.

AFM