The Position of Female and Male Figures in the Old Pictorial Carpets of Sistan From the Historical and Cultural Perspective

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Abstract
Sistan is one of the most important Iranian cultural regions with an ancient history, and the carpet weaving of this region is one of the most important fields of study about native culture and art with a variety of motifs.  However, the decreasing production from Sistan and the prosperity of Balochi weaves have affected the carpet-weaving traditions of Sistan. The research aims to study the place of female and male figures in the old pictorial carpets woven in Sistan and the historical and cultural background of the region. The research is studied from two perspectives, the composition and abundance of female and male figures. The research method is descriptive and analytical. The images of 16 old woven Sistani pictorial rugs are selected as the research samples of the article. Data analysis has been done by combining qualitative and quantitative methods. The results of the research show that human images are mostly used in the main part of the carpets and rarely in the margins. The carpets are generally divided into three vertical parts and different parts of the story or reproduction of figures. The existence of numerous female images shows the important role of women in society, culture, and the deep-rooted veins and several thousand years of history and cultural identity of this region. Although the designs of Khaajeh Hafez, Khosrow, and Shirin are adaptations of illustrated literary versions, their illustration on the carpet of Sistan has a lot of fusion with the local and cultural traditions of the region. In Khwaja Hafez's design, the figures are represented by the figure painting culture of women and men of the Qajar period, and although it does not refer to a specific narrative, it represents the general atmosphere of lyrical literature and a romantic theme.

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Volume 15, Issue 55
Spring 2023
Pages 27-70

  • Receive Date 17 August 2024
  • Publish Date 21 May 2024