State of Hamedan is one of the important places in rug weaving that because of the abundance and high quality in local wools, unique rugs are weaving in this city. A kind of ship with especial race bred in this city that has bright and thin fibers and strings with especial thickness obtained of them.
Formerly in all around of this state, weaving activity was common greatly, even in houses or workshops or little houses that were managed by commerce companies. By years of twenty in the main center, huge workshops got busy that production in them was with the goal of export and according to market tastes, changes were seen in them constantly. Like the other places, extent of market and being in the way of commerce networks were the reason of significant changes in production of this area in last century that these changes is obvious in designs and weaving methods.
The newest statistics presented, show the importance of weaving activity and weaving rugs with especial methods on the economy of the area. In this area, more than 1600 villages and more than 70 percent of people get busy by rug weaving. Also skilled masters should be added to this group that gets busy in production part and fibers coloring. Besides these information show the importance and prevalence of weaving activity at this city, also confirm production model existence including traditional or modern classic. Maybe it can be said that nowadays on of the most variable methods of rug weaving is happening in Hamedan state.
Hamedan is the capital city of Hmedan state that is located in 340 kilometers of the south east of Tehran and in 1800 meters above sea level. Alvand Mountain, with the height of 3571 meters caused moderate air in summer. Hamedan is one of the oldest cities in all around of Iran, because this city was known from second millennium before Assyrian birth and was the capital of Mads. According to Herodotus dictum, there was an impervious castle in Hamedan with doors made of gold and silver that was in seven floors. Each floor had different color: white, black, violet purple, cobalt blue, orange, silver and golden. This city was considered as an important center and was known as Hegmataneh in seloukia era and had not lost its notability in period of Arabs domination. Turkish people changed this city name to Amedaneh, but not in Safaviyeh era. Today, a few amounts of people in Hamedan get busy in rug weaving workshops.
The oldest signs remain from local production returns to sixteenth century: according to things quoted in historian records, Hamedan weavers and also weavers of the villages of Dargazin or Darjazin, had woven silk rugs in large sizes that Shah Tahmasb Safavi sent them as gift to ottoman sultan “Suleiman” to carpet a mosque that Sinan, the fame architect, was busy with its build in Istanbul and today is fame in the name of Suleiman executive or Suleiman mosque. There is no relic of these professional and advanced workshops in rug weaving from Safaviyeh era. In this area there are no delicate and especial urban rugs and has difference with what are remained from active centers in Safaviyeh era like Tabriz or Kashan. In county workshops the rugs were woven that were compatible with commercial desires more than local tradition and of course have medium quality.
It seems rugs woven in villages around Hamedan, have more importance in terms of texture properties and also because of originality of design.
The texture of old and beautiful rugs of Hamedan is also attributed to these villages that their all around edges were woven by using camel wool and it is one of the most important properties of this area. There is no much information from the production of nineteenth century of this area that must been too much.
In Hamedan, according to the claim of Edwards in 1912, there was not even a loom and Edwards himself has taken an action to set up 8 looms in little workshops in this city.
The recession that impressed the country among two wars became worse by famine and severe Spanish fever outbreak and imposed huge effects on people of Hamedan. Weaving production decreased significantly, wool price increased high. Starting weaving activity again and compensation past conditions happened in Pahlavi era. In year 1947 one branch of rug’s company established in Hamedan that supervised rug producing with high level of quality.
According to Edwards’s quotation, in 1948, 120 looms were active in city center, he complains of lots of being kids weavers and describe work condition in local workshops. In years of fifty, Hamedan rugs, mostly were named Mosul; a commerce name that is attributed to these productions yet. Mosul market in Iraq, actually, was an important center of collecting these handmade that was sent to Turkey and then Europe.
Today in Hamedan, like many other cities in Iran through the renewing production method and commerce network, the rugs are weaving that meanwhile keeping their designs property, have low quality and sometimes even have medium quality and are woven for huge trades. Shortages in today’s production cause traditional and old rugs desirability being attractive. In Hamedan rugs, the property of old Kurdish designs patterns that were repeating of geometric designs based on plants next to regular designs of old Turkish rugs, has been used. Using a color spectrum full of herbal colors that some of them were placed in especial bathroom dyeing to take different colors, causes more charm of designs and mostly cause distinction of different village’s rugs.
Totally, Hamedan rugs, have small sizes and in most times are 2 Zar (200*110 centimeter) or 1.5 Zar (150*100 centimeter). The long rugs in shape of side rugs are also woven in this city. The rugs have strong structure that warps and wefts are in kinds of cotton yarn and long piles are composed and are woven by wool so they have bright appearance; rarely wool wefts can be found among older rugs. According to customary and common method among Sane Kurdish rug and Hamedan local rug, weft crosses only once after each wate. Among very fame and old workshops of Hamedan, the workshop of Sheikh Taghi Vakil can be pointed that were in an old building and its rugs are so scarce nowadays. Also the master Yusef Zanjani was so famous and had a workshop in dyers district and were working with Armenian merchants. From other famous people in rug weaving, “Riyahi” can be mentioned that was the most important producer in Pahlavi era and also “Nobari” that his rugs were mostly woven to present in America’s markets. Designers like Mirza Shahab and Ali Hosein Jani, were also fame. Also in weaving in Hamedan state, merchants and especially Armenian merchants, had an important role; and it was because of endeavors of people like Avanozian, Avakian, Qoltoqhian and Shirvanian that Hamedan rugs found a way to Europe. In big bazaar of city, also the rugs belong to nomads were presented that
among them, Shahsavans can be mentioned and especially Tarkashand or RamTaqlu tribe and also Baghdad Kurdish can be named.
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