Jun 15

The order for restoring the Iranian carpet industry with its ancient authenticity

In March 1502 Shāh Ismāil I, the Safavid king, announced the Shiite sect (Ithnā-ashariyyah =Twelver = Imami Shī‘ism) as the official religion of Iran. This uniqueness makes the Safavid dynasty comparable to the pre-Islamic Sassanid dynasty, which made Zoroastrianism into an official religion, and whose founders were from a priestly class.Three months later, on 15 June of the same year, he gave the order for restoring the carpet industry of Iran exactly as in the Sassanian (Sassanid) era, and in this order he stressed on the ancient authenticity of carpet weaving and the use of designs and pictures of plants and animals. During the rule of the Il-Khanians (The Ilkhanate rulers - Mongolians) and after invasion of the Altaic tribes from Transoxiana to Iran, carpet weaving in Iran changed its style, and small rugs with geometrical design and meant for covering the floor of tents were woven.     Shāh Ismāil I, who formed a powerful central government in Iran, conquered Baghdad in 1508 AD and defeated the Ozbaks, headed by Mohammad Khan Sheibani, in 1510, and entrusted the governing of Samarghand (Samarkand) to Baber, one the Timurid dynasty(Teimurid), but in 1514, because of lack of firearms, like cannons and rifles, his army was defeated by the Ottoman army in Chaldoran, south of Maku (The Battle of Chalderan, 23 August 1514) and this defeat was the beginning of many years war between Iran and the Ottomans (Turkey).          Translation by Rowshan Lohrasbpour (AmordadNews Writer)