Qashqai Rug: Yeksar Nazem
Template:Infobox Different Types of Yeksar Nazem Rug
Yeksar Nazem Rug
Iranians have always thought very highly of plants because they are key elements of nature that together complement biological existence. From another viewpoint, plants and trees are a means by which humans can express themselves; therefore, they represent eternity and, on a higher level, ascension to heaven. That is the main reason why Iranians are inspired by plants, the symbolic objectivism of which is often found on their handicrafts.
Rugs are perhaps the most important platforms where plants as patterns reflect this glory. Rugs with trees and pots as their patterns are known by experts as Derakhti and Goldani respectively. These rugs are found in several areas in Iran, but the most attractive ones are called "Yeksae Nazem" or "Haj Khanomi" which are ubiquitous in Fars province among Qashqai.
Historical Background
Yeksar Nazem implies the harmony of the rug’s pattern. The reason why they are also called Haj Khanomi is that "Bibi Jahaneh", an aristocrat, together with three other ladies went to a "Khan" (landlords with great influence) pleading justice. They were impressed by the architecture of the Khan’s residence and decided to include them in rug patterns.
Rug Structure
Yeksar Nazem rugs are fundamentally the same, but through years they are been influenced by weavers’ personal tastes. They fall into the asymmetrical category of rugs with the symmetry in vertical direction of the rug. The elements of the rug’s composition are the same, comprised of a pot with tree or flower branches in the middle, two rising surfaces in the margins, an arch at the top, and a platform at the bottom of the pot. Sometimes the arch and the rising surfaces are combined, and sometimes they appear as a curtain tied to the sides of the wall.
Symbolism
As mentioned before, plants are of symbolic value to Iranians and are used to express inner thoughts and feelings. Emergence of Islam in Iran endorsed but at times changed the symbolic concept of plants and trees. Whatever pattern appears on Yeksar Nazem rugs, "Shakhe Afshan tree" represents the Tree of Life in Iranian mythology and "Toba Branch" (a tree in seventh heaven) in Islamic culture. In both cases, Yeksar Nazem symbolizes a garden that is considered by Qashqai weavers as heaven.
Bibliography
- Abdolhossein Ghasemnejad. 2021. fieldwork.