Antique Ghasghai | 195 x 156 cm | Nr. Z-2921

Antique Ghasghai, light brown with border and tree of life

Origin	Persia
Dimensions	195 cm x 156 cm (= 3.042 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: wool (hand-spun, natural dyes) Weft & Warp: wool
knots per m²2	180.000
Pile height	6mm
Year of manufacture	1920
Colour	Light brown, Dark blue
Edition	one-of-a-kind piece

Origin

The Ghashghai are the great Persian nomadic people and have lived in the south of Iran, in the province of Fars, for centuries. They are made up of seven tribes in all. The most important tribe of the Ghashghai – at least as far as rug making goes – are the Kashghuli (also Kaschguli, Kashguli, Qashguli). Old and antique Ghashghai rugs are sought-after collectors' pieces today. Ghasghai rugs are known as the king among Persian nomadic rugs.

A large share of Ghashgai rugs is adorned with the so-called geometric Heibathlou pattern: a diamond-shaped central field with a rather plain medallion that is repeated in the corners. The inner field is filled with an unusually large number of ornaments. The motifs range from stars, lions and camels to trees, blossoms and boteh or paisley symbols. Some motifs are stylised, others rendered true to life. The frequently repeated motifs are never entirely alike. They differ considerably in their colouring. The symbols are rarely arranged symmetrically. Symmetry along the length is often ignored. The individual elements in the borders, too, alternate in different colours. Small rows of little boxes at the ends of the rugs are typical. The variation in the pattern comes from the fact that the Ghashgai had no knotting templates: every rug was knotted from memory and filled with interesting motifs.

By now most Ghashghai have settled down. It is only because they have largely become settled that the Ghashghai can also make rugs in large formats. The few clans still living as nomads head up to the summer pastures in the Zagros Mountains twice a year. In autumn they return to the milder winter quarters down in the valley. The Ghashghai have a reputation for being especially proud, hard-working and honourable. Even though the Ghashghai come across as less wild and warlike today, they still have an influence on Iranian domestic politics that shouldn't be underestimated. This antique Ghasghai is a collector's piece. It is around 100 years old, and for that reason alone a truly special piece. Antique rugs like this Ghasghai are as sought after as ever and fetch top prices at renowned auction houses. Ghashghai Nairiz

Pattern

This Ghasghai is graced by an impressive tree of life. The tree of life has been a favourite motif for Oriental rugs, pottery and other decorative objects for centuries. Because the symbol appears in many different cultures around the world, its exact origin is unclear. The prevailing view is that it comes from ancient Mesopotamia. The features of the tree have changed over the centuries. The meaning attributed to the tree of life still differs a little from culture to culture and from religion to religion today. Almost everywhere, though, the tree of life is credited with sacred qualities.

In the world of yoga it is one of the outstanding spiritual symbols, rooting us to the ground and connecting us with the sky. The tree of life links all forms of life with Mother Earth and the universe.

The background of this Ghasghai is light brown. The border is worked in dark blue and light brown.

Condition

You aren't the first to take a liking to this Ghasghai. It has had owners before you who valued and used it. It was hand-knotted around 1920 and has given faithful service ever since. The pile is slightly worn. Overall it is nonetheless in good condition and can bring pleasure for decades to come. We haven't restored this Ghasghai, because we feel it has a special presence exactly as it is. If you'd prefer otherwise, we're of course happy to restore the rug for you.

Material

The technique used to make the materials for the pile of this Ghasghai is over 200 years old. The wool was dyed with natural dyes and spun by hand. Dyeing with natural or plant dyes is more complicated, more expensive and more time-consuming than dyeing with chemical colours. For a luminous red, for example, you need around one kilo of ground madder root as dyestuff per kilo of wool. For a strong yellow that is not too pale, it even takes two kilograms of weld dye per kilo of wool. Spinning the wool is time-consuming and labour-intensive too. On top of that, fewer and fewer people still master the art of spinning wool by hand.

But the effort is worth it: dyeing with natural colours lets the high-quality wool keep its natural lanolin content. Wool dyed with natural colours and spun by hand creates fascinating, shimmering patterns. The charm of hand-spun wool, with its slight irregularities and natural shades, comes into its own as a contrast in modern interiors, but equally in rooms furnished in a more traditional or country-house style. The foundation (weft and warp threads) of this Ghasghai is made of new wool.