Bakhtiari

The people of the Bakhtiari tribe are a noble and ancient tribe surviving in the Chahar Mahal region of south-central Iran. The primitive Bakhtiari rugs frequently have a checkerboard or garden pattern decorated with trees-of-life, birds, flowers and animals, sometimes realistic, or sometimes abstract figures. These are usually woven with a turkish knot. But some very beautiful floral patterns are still produced in the town of Shahr Kurd with the Persian knot, showing long, exaggerated medallions reminiscent of an earlier Isfahan style. Color schemes include many shades of brown, rust, ocher yellow, bottle green, beige, dark blue and red.
History & Construction
During the period of the great Khans in the eighteenth century, many mansions and palaces were built during the Chahar Mahal valley. The sumptuous gardens and courtyards included were a symbol of pride and status and have become a major issue for many weavers. These wealthy merchants have also established some of the best rug weaving centers in Persia. back to the nineteenth century, the descendants of the original Khans have become even more rich when oil was found on their land. Have spared no expense in providing the best materials for their weavers. While much of that money has since disappeared or traditions are absent and moved higher. The proportions are always generous and very eye-pleasing designs. Athough these tribal and products, often produced under the most primitive materials, knotting designs and styles have remained constant over the centuries, leading shares lasting quality and beauty. Most weavers use fine quality wool from their own sheep running at hand and then colored with vegetable dyes extracted from local flora, as according to the old formulas.

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Visibility: The best known BAKHTIARI rug design is the Garden carpet with flower- and tendril-filled compartmental designs (KHESHTI Design). Another important BAKHTIARI design consists of a decorated field with lattice designs and floral ornaments that are as distinctly executed as the well-drawn medallion carpets of Saman.

Quality: There is a wide variation in quality and prices among carpets from this region, ranging from consumer carpets up to excellent collector's pieces. Hori carpets are generally of lower quality, while Bibibaff, Chapel Shotur and Saman pieces are good to excellent.

Size & Shapes: Small and Large rugs up to 1.50 x 2.20m and occasionally narrow runners are produced. Room-sized carpets up to 4 x 5m are woven in workshops.

Color: There is great variety of color in the carpets produced in the several hundred villages of this area. The principal colors include many shades of white and ivory, as well as various reds, browns, greens, and yellows, but relatively little blue. Natural dyes generally produce a harmonious range of color, especially on older pieces and in Bibibaff.

Texture: Even with wool obtained from the weaver's own herd, there are still varying degrees of quality, ranging from dull to extremely glossy. The pile is clipped medium-high to high.

Foundation: Warp and weft are of cotton.

Knots: The Turkish knot is used in greatly varying knot densities, ranging from very coarse to medium fine.