kilim weaving of Qashqai tribe in Iran
The Persian Qashqai tribes in southwestern Iran are well known for the weaving of traditional kilims. The origins of this tribe can be traced back to the 16th century, when they were part of the Turkic-speaking camps that invaded the north of the country. As a result, some designs of Qashqai rugs can be directly related to Caucasian rugs.
The Qashqai nomads, who became famous for their annual migration from the winter quarters along the Persian Gulf to their summer camps in the Zagros Mountains, have been affected by government deterrence policies since 1925. As a result, most of the Qashqai carpets were woven before the Pahlavi regime. This type of older Qashqai rugs is especially exciting and satisfying for life. Because Qashqai carpets are woven during migration or in the area around them. They often have a wide variety of designs and colors. At any time, a small amount of dyed yarn can be carried with you, and for each kilim, a small amount of wool is dyed during the migration, and this causes a variety of colors. The ground workshops on which the kilim is woven are assembled as they move and reopened in the next room, where they continue to be woven, so the designs are varied.
Due to the lack of identification of the tribal carpets of southern Iran, most of the handicrafts of this region in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries have been attributed to the city of Shiraz by Western and Iranian sellers. As a result, the origins and identities of many of the subspecies remain unclear.
Among all the southern tribes, the Qashqais are well known for the strong quality of their handicrafts and their historical connection to Genghis Khan.
During the migration, the Qashqais are less likely to weave, and are more likely to do so during the summer months and in the cool, high altitudes of the South Zagros. To weave their rugs, they use long, sturdy, bright, shiny wool wool from sheep and goats, which is more resistant to other sheep than long-haired nomads. Qashqais usually breed their sheep’s wool once a year in May or June.
Qashqai kilims are perhaps one of the most famous Iranian kilims, whose design power and energy cannot be found anywhere else. The limited use of small drawings and some other similarities sometimes reminds the viewer of textured Turkish kilims such as Shahsun. But at the same time, the unique geometric designs, the elegance of the wool and the radiant power of their colors go hand in hand, creating unique and unique examples in the art of weaving. Qashqai kilims have a slit cut and sometimes use cotton threads and natural brown wool. Qashqai kilims are divided into two categories:
1- Kilims with horizontal stripes
This composition is usually found in the kilims of Qashqai tribes in the western regions of Iran, which are of Turkish origin and are less commonly used in other Qashqai tribes. Horizontal tapes and drawings with narrow strips of floating hooks between them form the text of the kilim. These drawings are either repeated in a margin or continue to the end of the kilim.
The drawings on the tapes are very similar to the drawings of the Shahsoon kilims, and therefore cause errors in distinguishing them from each other. The edges and frames of the kilim are usually the defining factor because the Qashqais use prominent and delicate tulips attached to the inner left and right margins in the texture of the margins. The details used in the margins of the Qashqai rugs separate them from other textiles in the southern regions of Iran. Because, for example, the margin of a kilim is much simpler.
2- Central text inside the margins
The tulips woven inside the fringes are exactly like the kilims of the first group, and inside the text there are two or three brick bergamots or a square design. Sometimes the text is one-handed and is woven with self-colored and fluffy camel fabrics. This type of large kilim is used as a table in various ceremonies. Because the Qashqai tribes originally settled in tents, they carried many portable sacks of various sizes and shapes. These qualities are especially important because they require a great deal of skill and precision, and reflect the wealth of families. Accessories and supplies, food and bedding, during the migration, are all carried in woven bags, on the backs of camels and horses, and stored in temporary tents for families in tents. The edges and fasteners are distinctive and elegant, and the knotted and decorative lint, with additional wefts, adds to their strength when worn on the backs of animals.
