«Kheshti» pattern in handwoven carpet

KHESHTI pattern in Bakhtiari carpets

Iranian rural carpets are important sources for studying the art and culture of rural Iran. The use of patterns and colors used in these carpets reflect the culture, customs, art and life experience of the people of the region. The presence of common features in the motifs used in the frames of the KHESHTI carpets and their colors indicate the spirit that governs these works, influenced by the association with nature. In these adobe carpets, there are differences in terms of appearance and technique, and in order to better distinguish the adobe carpets of different regions of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari provinces from each other, it is necessary to visually examine the patterns inside the frames. In fact, one of the most famous types of Bakhtiari carpets is the KHESHTI carpet, which is known all over the world. Each pattern in these carpets is a mixture of shapes and colors influenced by nature and the weaver's beliefs, which are created in his mind and imprinted on the fabric. In this article, we are going to examine the designs of authentic and famous Bakhtiari KHESHTI carpets.

What is a KHESHTI plan?

KHESHTI designs are one of the original and famous designs of Iranian carpets and it is the repetition of square or similar patterns with irregular coloring of KHESHTIs and sometimes regular shapes. The square shape has long played an important role in many ancient arts, including architecture, tiling, sculpture and carpets. The square is the symbol of the object. This square shape tells about the community of four elements that create matter. Every building made of KHESHTI and straw or stone and mortar is called tu, and the Bakhtiaris spend a short period of time living in Garmsir in it. This type of building is luxurious in Bakhtiari's imagination. Maybe for this reason, in some of their weavings, such as Tobareh Chopan and Jal rugs, they use a pattern called Kheshti.

Patterns and designs in KHESHTI carpet

In Bakhtiari carpets, patterns inspired by trees are placed inside the KHESHTI. Plants, especially trees, are used in most of the KHESHTI patterns or are used symbolically. You can place the KHESHTI carpet and Chaharbagh next to each other because the inside of the Chaharbagh carpet is often filled with KHESHTI, with trees and plants placed inside these squares. In the simplest form, the text of the carpet is divided into four parts, and most of their motifs are plants. In the following, we will introduce each of the motifs used in Bakhtiari KHESHTI carpets.

Cypress tree and its image in KHESHTI carpets

The cypress tree is sacred to the people of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari region, and apart from its role in decorative arts, it is known as a symbol. Cedar has its roots in the earth and its head in the sky, and as a symbol of the connection between the earth and the sky, it fulfills the artist's goal of connecting the earth and the sky. On the night of the birth of the seal, the cedar tree was decorated with other symbols and signs, each of which was a special address with a secret and hidden message for the Mehrians, such as a golden or red star was raised above the cedar as a sign of the sun or the shining seal, and the branches of the cedar tree They decorate it with two strings of gold and silver as symbols of the sun and the moon. Also, young people with a wish would symbolically hang a silk cloth or simin on the branches of the cedar and put gifts at the foot of the cedar in the hope of fulfilling their wish. This image is one of the common motifs in the carpets of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari regions, which is known as a sacred tree in ancient Iran.

Majnoon willow tree and its image in KHESHTI carpets

In the Bakhtiari carpet, Majnoon willow is green and has a special life. The role of willow in KHESHTI carpets has been full of life and movement. The leaves of the Majnoon willow tree are reflective on both sides of the branch. On the top part of the Majnoon willow tree trunk, a flower is designed according to the taste of the people of each region: eight-petaled, four-petaled, or even a square or rhombus flower. Majnoon willow leaves design is also used in the KHESHTI around the flowers designed so that the KHESHTI space is not empty. Right in front of such thinking, the motif of Beed Majnoon, which is called "Weeping Willow" by most people in the West, is a motif full of sadness. They called the carpets that had this pattern on them as mourning carpets and it is said that they were woven to cover graves and mourning ceremonies.

Grapes and its image in KHESHTI carpets

In ancient Iran, the vine was hung in the king's sleeping place. The vine was often associated with the plantain. Therefore, some have considered the plane tree as the symbol of the king and the vine as the symbol of his wife and the longevity of the monarchy, through which the royal blood has reached the next generation. The use of leaf designs, twisting stems and vine fruit can be seen in most Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari carpets. Such a pattern has not been found in the carpets obtained from Qahfarakh.

Tree branch and its image in KHESHTI carpets

Branches, flowers and leaves of sacred plants played a significant role in Iranian rituals and their remains can still be seen. In the travelogue of Pythagoras, in the seventh chapter (the last mourning for Cyrus), it is stated: "The courtiers, including the cavalry and Darius in the front, hurried to three thousand paces from the city... The number of sycamores was more than ten thousand, and each tree had two branches They held hands, one was a palm tree and the other was a cypress. Among the Zoroastrians of Taft, women still hold a branch of cypress or boxwood in their hands and go individually or in groups to the houses and perform the Eid ceremony which is patterned and almost always the same. As soon as the female visitor arrives, she gives the cedar branch, boxwood or other item to the house lady or other family members. By comparison, it is possible to observe a kind of adherence to the type of branch structure even in its most abstract example. Some native weavers as well as bazaars introduce this branch as almond or plantain branch.

Bateh Jagheh and its image in KHESHTI carpets

Various opinions have been presented about the origin of this role. Some experts have likened this role to the flame and a symbol of the Zoroastrian fire temple, or the fruit of pine, palm, almond, fir, or seal bird, and some experts have compared it to the grooves of the Jumna river in the Kashmir valley and the mango or sogi fruit, which means parrot. The material in India is similar to this design in various forms in KHESHTI carpets. Due to the similarity of this design with almond fruit, it is also called almond flower. Small flowers fill the empty spaces around the bushes. The different types of Bete Jaqeh are: a. Bete Sarkej b. Bete Badami (pulled) p. Bete Siri (small) t. Bette anger and reconciliation. Bette Jepati c. Bete kaj (similar to a tree or pine fruit) c. Fish nets (fish-like) around the nets, small flowers fill the empty spaces.

Rose (red flower, farang flower) and its image in KHESHTI carpets

The rose is the embodiment of love and beauty. Its heart-warming fragrance has been praised since ancient times, and the legends told about the rose are many and varied according to the lands, regions, habits and customs, cultures and beliefs of the people. Muslims believe that the rose rose from a drop of sweat on the Prophet's forehead. The Prophet of Islam was very fond of rose perfume and used it a lot. Even now, perfume and rose water are used in gatherings with salawat. The rose is also a pink flower and a manifestation of the beauty of nature. Parviz Tanavoli in his book titled Tachehai Chaharmahal also expresses such an opinion: "The flower design is actually the shape of a blooming red flower or rose with leaves around it. Iranian artists, including Chaharmahal carpet weavers, have used this role countless times. Sometimes they put this flower alone in a frame and by repeating the frames they made a KHESHTI pattern out of it and called it a mirror frame. .

Pine tree and its image in KHESHTI carpets

Pines are designed in two ways: simple and matching. Pines that are designed in a simple way are short and are rarely found in KHESHTI carpets. Matching pines, which are abundantly designed in KHESHTI designs next to cedar or in separate KHESHTI, are maximum six stories and minimum two stories. In most of the KHESHTIs that have a pine pattern, a peacock or other birds are designed next to the pine, sometimes flowers are also used around the pine. In general, pines are seen in three forms in these carpets: a. Single pine b. A pine between two cedars c. Two pines around a cedar

A vase and its image on KHESHTI carpets

Vase and tree or flower are Iranian motifs that have preserved their role in Iranian art from prehistoric Sumerian and Elamite civilizations, based on existing evidence and documents, until today, and decorate traditional art in various natural and abstract ways. Handicrafts have become Iranian. Here, more variety is seen in the execution and processing of flower pots compared to the execution of garden composition elements. In some frames, it comes on a plain background of one color and sometimes with an altar.

Palm and its image in KHESHTI carpets

In this group, the elements and components of the last example have been transformed into a geometric design. "These concentric polygons can be recognized as a palm tree without knowing its origin. This pattern is more similar to a cedar tree, because there are two types of cedar trees, short legs and long legs, in Bakhtiari carpets. Most of these trees have one or two flowers drawn in their center.  
The design of a pillared arch with a vase (mihrabi) and its image in KHESHTI carpets  
Most of these handwovens are decorated with broken and geometric designs and with a combination of different colors. In these weaves, the weaver artist has used the image of the altar to decorate the weaves of her work. Abstract elements such as trees, columns, fireplaces and vases are used in these KHESHTIs, which are decorated with altar motifs.

Lily flower and its image in KHESHTI carpets

In Iranian culture, lily of the valley is a symbol of immortality and the celebration of immortality. Single and double lily flowers are designed and in case of empty KHESHTI space, they used other flowers along with it.

Flowering plant (flower branch) and its image in KHESHTI carpets

It can be a flowering tree, it can also be a flowering bush.

Design of arm band (pencil) and its image in KHESHTI carpets

The motif used in the middle of the KHESHTI is called the Qalamdan band or the armbandi design. Due to the use of designs on the pen and the similarity of the size of the pen with the KHESHTI band, this name was chosen for the KHESHTI band during the Qajar era. The more challenging people believe that Mirza Ahmad Nasr invented this design between the bricks, but a type of it is also used in Saman carpets. There are four boxes around each brick, and in other words, each box is placed between two bricks. The pencil cases are decorated with different flowers and contrasting colors. In Shalamzar and Qahfarakh KHESHTI carpets, they use a simple strap.

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