Persian kilim (Jajim)

For millennia, rugs have served nomadic peoples as faithful and proven companions, utilized as floor coverings, furniture alternatives, decorative pieces, horse saddles, sleeping mats, travel tents, meditation aids, and even shrouds for final rites. Special rugs are crafted for healing and wedding ceremonies. These rugs are rich in symbolism, facilitating communication across time and space, with messages expressed through various compositional structures, colors, and figures within them. The Azeri people, residing in northern Iran and Azerbaijan, have been crafting rugs for centuries and millennia using an original, unchanged method. The weaving technique and traditional patterns are passed down through generations, yet the final appearance of each rug largely depends on the weaver’s personal touch. Mothers teach daughters how to spin and use wool, while fathers impart knowledge of wool dyeing and loom construction to their sons. The motifs depicted are drawn from their environment, local traditions, and daily lives, ranging from stars to archaic Mesopotamian forms. Under skilled hands, beautiful combinations are created using natural plant dyes and ancient patterns.