Geographical Area
Mashhad is the capital of Razavi Khorasan Province in Iran and one of its most important holy cities. During the Timurid period, it was a significant center of the empire and controlled the hinterland of Herat, which today belongs to Afghanistan. Mashhad became famous for its flower-patterned carpets during the Safavid era, inspired by the artistic treasures of the Timurid court. These designs gradually evolved into the present-day Herati pattern, widely recognized among weavers in Khorasan who were encouraged by Nader Shah to move away from traditional Khorasan designs.
Naming of Mashhad
The name Khorasan is derived from two words: "khwar" meaning sun and "asan" meaning place, implying the place where the sun rises. In ancient texts, it has been referred to as "Matla' al-Shams". In ancient times, Khorasan was a prosperous land that, over centuries, was divided due to various wars and the inefficiency of some rulers, with parts of it now in Turkmenistan and Afghanistan. Thus, modern Khorasan is considered a part of ancient or Greater Khorasan.
Historical and Artistic Background of Mashhad
Like other regions of Iran, Khorasan did not escape the ravages of the Mongol invasions and endured many calamities throughout history. Only the attention of Shah Rokh, a son of Timur, and his enlightened wife, Goharshad Khanum, who patronized many buildings and historical monuments in Khorasan, such as the Herat School and Goharshad Mosque in Mashhad, managed to revive its past glory.
The Uzbeks also frequently threatened Khorasan, until Shah Abbas, the Safavid ruler, eliminated their leader, Shayban Khan, restoring relative peace to Mashhad during his reign.
During the Afsharid era, a new vitality emerged in the region. Especially during the Qajar period, particularly under the reigns of Fath Ali Shah and Naser al-Din Shah, Mashhad enjoyed relative peace.
History of Carpet Weaving in Mashhad
During the late Qajar period, as European demand for Persian carpets surged and European markets opened up, Tabriz merchants established carpet workshops in Mashhad, Kerman, Arak, and Kashan carpets to meet this demand.
Today, regardless of the city workshops supervised by master craftsmen and skilled workers, other famous regions such as Birjand, Mood, Qaenat (Darkesh), Kashmar, Tabas, and Torbat-e Heydarieh are engaged in the production of various types of carpets.
Khorasan and the city of Mashhad are pivotal centers in Iran's carpet weaving industry, with carpet weaving holding special importance. Mashhad's carpet weaving, with its rich historical background, flourished particularly during the reign of Shah Rokh Mirza, one of the most prosperous periods in its history.
After this flourishing period and the Safavid era, Mashhad's carpet weaving gradually declined, experiencing its final decline during the late Qajar period.
Khorasan's carpet weaving owes its revival to Tabrizi merchants who, by establishing numerous carpet workshops and sending Tabrizi weavers to the region, revitalized this ancient profession. From then on, Azerbaijani designs and weaving techniques gained popularity in Khorasan, as these individuals were drawn to Mashhad due to religious and occupational interests.
Before World War II, Mashhad and Birjand exported carpets to America and Europe, and merchants from these two cities also established markets in Tehran. Currently, Astan Quds Razavi Carpet Company is the most active carpet weaving unit in Khorasan Province.
Mashhad is one of the main centers of carpet weaving in Iran. The oldest carpet in the Astan Quds Razavi collection was woven nearly 160 years ago, indicating the approximate history of carpet weaving in Mashhad, which coincides with the arrival of Tabrizi merchants to expand the carpet export trade and establish centralized workshops in various cities and villages, including Mashhad.
Today, Mashhad's carpet workshops, both private and public, produce various beautiful and authentic designs such as Lachak Toranj, Shah Abbasi with fine and coarse floral motifs, Sheikh Safi underground carpets, and prayer rugs. Skillful designers consider their profession as a noble, unique, and essential art, always striving to elevate the art of carpet weaving. Mashhad carpets are known for their dense, durable, and resilient pile.
In recent centuries, numerous private and public institutions have been established in Mashhad, such as Amooghli, Makhmalbaf, Saber, Sheshkalani, Iran Carpet Company, and Astan Quds Razavi Carpet Company.
Prominent features of Mashhad carpets include precise, intricate designs such as Toranj, Islimi, and Pichak, among others. Other motifs include repeated Herati fish medallions in the pool pattern, similar to carpets from Farahan, although some carpets have contrasting designs on the borders, while many use background patterns."
Dyeing and Colors in Mashhad Carpets
In Mashhad, mostly natural dyes are used, but the color palette is limited to a few shades like red, purplish red, navy blue, mustard, turquoise, beige, and brown. In dyeing the wool yarn, plant and animal-based dyes such as madder root, vine leaves, weld, walnut shell, pomegranate skin, and some industrial dyes are used. However, the colors of Mashhad carpets are typically stable.
Local dyers prepare the red color from cochineal and madder (Nasiri, 2009, p. 213). Mashhad carpets have preserved their local color characteristics. In older Mashhad carpets, the background color often consists of dark tones like navy and dark red. Although carpets with indigo and cream backgrounds are now being woven, green, orange, and yellow colors are still rarely seen in Mashhad carpets.
The main field of the carpet is often dark red, with the medallion and corners in a lapis blue. The colors are generally consistent and even, as the wool is dyed in a single batch. In Mashhad and Birjand carpets, deep red is a prominent color, and the weavers of Mashhad have traditionally used cochineal for this shade (Heshmati Razavi, 2013, p. 56). Dyers soak the yarn in lime water for 24 hours before dyeing, believing that this produces smoother, more uniform shades from the cochineal.
However, the lime water weakens the yarn and reduces its durability, which is why sometimes Mashhad carpets are criticized for their lack of durability, particularly those with a red background dyed with cochineal (Nasiri, 2009, p. 213). All the colors used in these carpets are plant-based. Carpets from this period feature a range of beautiful colors, including pink, light red, bright brown, blue, green, yellow, and white. Carpets with animal motifs often have a very soft blue background. The black color is obtained from walnut shells, and dark blue is used to highlight and define patterns.
Designs and Patterns of Mashhad Carpets
A unique feature of old Mashhad carpets is the large Shah Abbasi flowers with long, delicate stems, structurally very similar to Herati patterns. In recent years, various Gol Farang patterns have gained popularity in Mashhad. The "Lachak Toranj Sa'di" design, which is famous in southern Khorasan, has appeared in Mashhad carpets over the past few decades. There has also been a growing trend in adopting designs from Kerman, Kashan, and Na'in carpets, which has even influenced the Tehran carpet market (Jowleh, 2011, p. 170). Despite this, Mashhad carpets have retained their unique design characteristics.
Their patterns are mostly Afshan or Lachak Toranj with an Afshan background. For high-quality carpets, the Lachak Toranj design is often used, with linear patterns appearing only in the borders, which are typically intricate. In Mashhad carpets, the Lachak Toranj design features a plain central field, but the border is richly patterned. Overall, the design of the field and borders in Mashhad carpets is harmonious, and they are renowned for preserving their traditional designs. Famous designers and producers of Mashhad carpets include Saber, Sheshkelani, Pourangi, Haji Fakour, Ghazi Khan, Naeini, Zarrineh, Khadivi, Tabari, Tamizkar Noghani, and Kafi.
Weaving and Sizes of Mashhad Carpets
In the Khorasan region, and particularly in Mashhad, two weaving techniques are used: Persian (asymmetric knots) and Turkish (symmetric knots). Mashhad carpets predominantly feature asymmetric knots, with symmetric knots appearing only in carpets from the 1920s, a remnant of the period when Tabrizi masters and merchants established carpet workshops in Mashhad (Azaryad, Heshmati Razavi, 1993, p. 264). The warp is made of cotton thread, and the second (thin) weft is spun by machines and dyed blue or lapis blue, while the first (thick) weft is a strong thread, hand-spun, and left in its natural color or dyed grey.
The measurement unit for Khorasan and Mashhad rugs is the "Eyagh," and the unit for calculating the weavers' wages is "Moqate'." Mashhad carpets are known for their thick, glossy pile, thanks to the high-quality local wool used by the weavers (Yesavoli, 1996, pp. 277-278). Occasionally, weavers also produce silk carpets based on special orders. In the past, Mashhad weavers used to simultaneously braid the selvedge as they wove, but in modern times, as in many other carpet-weaving areas, the selvedge is added after the weaving is completed.
Famous Carpet Designers of Mashhad
One of the great carpet designers of Mashhad is Abdulhamid Sanat Negar, who designed carpets for Amo Oghli. Major carpet producers in Mashhad include Makhmalbaf, Fakour, Ghazi Khan, Saber, Amo Oghli, Sheshkelani, Khalilian Varesteh, Kafi, and Sheikh Pourangi. Currently, the Iranian Carpet Company and the Astan Quds Razavi Carpet Company are among the largest carpet producers in Mashhad. The influence of cities like Kashan, Kerman, Tabriz, and Isfahan is clearly visible in the carpets of this region.
Summary of Mashhad Carpet Characteristics
1. Colors: Mainly dark tones such as deep madder red, crimson, and navy, with occasional cream and blue.
2. Designs: Primarily Lachak Toranj, Afshan, and Sheikh Safi, inspired by Islimi floral patterns, dragon's mouth, Shah Abbasi, Khatai, and Gol Farang.
3. Limited variety in colors and patterns.
4. Knot density: Typically 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, and rarely 50 knots per square inch.
5. As knot density increases from 20 to 40, production decreases.
6. Weaving styles: Persian and Azerbaijani, with cotton warp and wool pile.
7. The carpets of Sabzevar and Nishapur closely follow Mashhad's styles and features but are considered less refined.
