Persian Carpet Afshar / Persian carpet Afshar

A carpet is the language of the people to whom it belongs. History, geography, cosmogony, and the stories of its people are inscribed and encoded within through characteristic ornaments. Carpet making is an art that helps maintain the bond between generations through time. For nomadic peoples, carpets have been faithful and proven companions for millennia, used for covering floors, in place of furniture, as decoration, for horse saddles, for sleeping, as traveling tents, for meditation, as a shroud for final farewell from the world… Special carpets are made for healing and wedding ceremonies or rituals for births and deaths. Carpets are full of rich symbolism; through them, communication occurs across time and space, with messages expressed through various compositional structures, colors, and the figures within them.

The Afshar tribe migrated from northern Persia across the Zagros Mountains to the area of present-day southwestern Iran. They are known for making exquisite carpets using wool from their own sheep, which they dye and spin themselves. The carpet features a central medallion surrounded by artfully interwoven flowers that also dominate the central field. At the bottom and top center of the carpet are vases. The vase was an attribute of the water goddess among the ancient Sumerians.