Persian carpet Tabriz / Persian carpet Tabriz

Tabriz is a city located 600 km west of Tehran and is the capital of Azerbaijan Province. The Azari people who live there are the largest ethnic minority in Iran and speak a Turkish dialect. Tabriz is an ancient city that has had an important trading position in the border region for centuries. The Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar are very famous.

Tabriz is home to the finest, most refined and highly prized Persian carpets of great artistic value. These carpets usually have short and strong knots that are very densely knotted. The characteristic pattern is a motif with a central medallion (Persian: toranj) surrounded by arabesques, tendrils or cypresses ( boteh motif ). Another well-known motif is the motif of the four seasons. Sometimes verses of Persian poets or philosophers such as Sadi, Hafez, Firduzi and Omar Khayam (among others a mathematician) are also woven into the carpet.

For thousands of years, Tabriz has been a meeting place for different cultures, and its bazaar is one of the most important trading centers along the ancient Silk Road. The Grand Bazaar is located in the center of the city and consists of several smaller bazaars such as Amir Bazar (jewelry, gold), Mozzafarieh (carpets), and many others. The city experienced its greatest prosperity during the Safavid dynasty in the 16th century, during which time Tabriz was the capital of the Safavid Kingdom. The Safavid dynasty supported the arts, during which priceless masterpieces were created, which today can be seen in all the major museums in the world. (New York, London, Paris, Vienna)

The Safavid dynasty, named after Sufi Muslims and originating from Ardabil in northwestern Iran, adopted Shiite Islam, reunited the country, and encouraged the development of the arts. During their reign, Persian art experienced a veritable renaissance. Calligraphy, painting, leatherwork, architecture, and carpet-making flourished. During this time, Persian court craftsmen, painters, and other artists created fascinating patterns and motifs for carpets that are still imitated today. The masterpieces of the Safavid court carpet makers were so perfect and sophisticated that few have been able to accurately recreate the original Safavid motifs to this day. These masters created around 1,500 court carpets during this period, many of which are world-renowned masterpieces. Safavid kings such as Shah Tahmasp and Shah Abbas established court carpet workshops in the cities of Kashan, Isfahan, Tabriz, Qazvin, Kerman, and many other parts of what was then Persia.

Sava

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