Iranian Carpet Research Articles

International organizations and the question of child labor in the Iranian carpet industry

ABSTRACT This article examines child labor in the Iranian carpet industry, from around 1890 to 1930. During this period, child labor was shaped by a combination of local and global factors, including the involvement of international organizations of various kinds. Whereas European carpet firms, under the protection of British diplomats in Iran, employed and exploited Iranian children, British missionaries attempted to alleviate the physical harm that befell child laborers and treated them in missionary hospitals. In the years following the First World War, the International Labour Organization approached the Iranian government with a direct request to curb the practice, and British diplomats supervised and reported on what they saw as an improvement in the working conditions of these children. I argue that both child labor and the attempts to curb it were intrinsically linked to children’s bodies – their abilities, health, and protection. Children’s supple fingers were considered ideal for carpet knotting, and the damage this labor caused young bodies was central to the discourse on improving their labor conditions. This article uses the lens of childhood history to shed light on some of the intricacies of the attempts to regulate child labor in Iran and to analyze Western observers’ views on this issue.

Innovation and Survival of Traditional Industries: Measuring Barriers Using the Best–Worst Method

Traditional industries, seen as cultural heritages, need to be innovative to grow and survive in the era of fast technological advancement. Traditional industries are continuously encountering decline. This research aims at identifying and addressing barriers to innovation to make an informed decision for better survival and improvement. A review of literature was used to propose a hierarchical structure of criteria in which innovation barriers were categorized into organizational, environmental, and supply chain dimensions. An online questionnaire was designed based on a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) method called Best–Worst Method (BWM) to identify the importance of the barriers. The opinion of 41 experts working in the Iranian Carpet and Leather industries was collected. The results indicate that organizational culture and management support are the most important barriers to innovation in the Leather and Carpet industries. We also found that environmental criteria are the least important criteria in both selected traditional industries. Results illustrated that the two industries have no significant difference in the three perspectives.

Export Function Estimates for the Pakistan Carpet Industry

This paper explores the behaviour of exports of ‘exotic’ carpets/rugs from Pakistan over the period from 1970-2003. These rugs are sold purely for decorative purposes mainly to the major Western economies. This sector of world trade has been neglected by economists as there is only one study of Iranian carpet trade [Karimi (2003)] which has so far only been presented as a short abstract. In this paper we review the historic background to the carpet making industry in Pakistan and look at its current conditions of production. We then go on to estimate an error correction model using conventional trade-related explanatory variables which include the volatility of exchange rates which has been increasingly a focus of such research. The results are broadly supportive of the existing aggregate and disaggregate literature for other countries. Given that the dominant rival supplier—Iran was subjected to constant and varying trade volume rationing activities by the USA, we then attempt to take this into account using measures of Iranian trade disadvantage. These results show that the problems faced by Iranian exporters have had a statistically significant positive impact on the Pakistan carpet export supply function.

A Comparative Study of Iranian Carpets in the Travelogues of Foreign Tourists of the Safavid and Qajar Periods with an Orientalist Approach

A Comparative Study of Iranian Carpets in the Travelogues of Foreign Tourists of the Safavid and Qajar Periods with an Orientalist Approach

الرموز الحیوانیة فى الفن الإیرانی Animal symbols in Iranian carpet art

حمل هذا البحث عنوان الرموز الحيوانية في فن السجاد الإيراني تناولت الباحثة الخلفية البيئية والثقافية والإجتماعية وسمات وملامح فن السجاد الإيراني وإتجاهتة الفنية وأنواع الرموز وأغراض ظهورها الرموز والمدلول الأجتماعي والتشکيلي والتعبيري للرموز ومعانيها والدلالات الرمزية للألوان في السجاد الإيراني، وقامت ايضا بتصنيف الرموز الحيوانية إلى اربع تصنيفات على شکل جداول وهي ( رموز حيوانية أرضية – رموز حيوانية مجنحة – رموز حيوانات العالم المائي – رموز الغيلان والحيوانات الخرافية ) وقامت ايضا بتحليل جمالي لمختارات من السجاد الإيراني العتيق والحديث الذي يتسم بالأسلوب الرمزي وخاصة منذ ازدهارها فى الدوله الصفوية وحتى عصرنا الحديث . وعلية فقد تمکنت الدراسة من إثبات ان الرموز الحيوانية في فن السجاد الإيراني مرتبط إرتباطا شديدا بالعقيدة ، حيث إنه تمتع بإسلوب رمزى فى تفکيره إستمده من عقيدته التى تميزت بالرمزية . وقد تمکنت الباحثة من حصر أغلب الرموز الحيوانية فى فن السجاد الإيراني وجمعها فى جدول مع توضيح الدلالات التعبيرية لهذه الرموز ، وذلک لکى يتسنى لطالب الفن أو متذوقه قراءة أى رموز حيوانية على السجاد الإيراني بسهولة ومعرفة الدلالات الرمزية والتعبيرية لها

The Evolution of Iranian Carpet Designs with the Influence of Islam and Chinese art; Ilkhanid, Timurid, Safavid

This article reviews and analyses the characteristics of Persian rugs through a historical background in the Islamic era, and design motifs that applied to the Persian rugs during the beginning of the Islamic era in Iran. Ilkhanid, Timurid, and Safavid as Islamic dynasties are considered, which were influenced by Chinese design motifs and religious style during said periods. Exemplar rug designs have been selected from illustrations from Shahnameh books (Demotte, Ferdowsi, Shah Tahmasp). Islam and Chinese artists and philosophers had a significant influence on the Persian rug. With the presence of Mongols and Islam in Iran and the establishment of the Ilkhanid dynasty, Chinese design elements had a noticeable effect on the Persian rug. The Mongols with no significant cultural and artistic backgrounds borrowed Chinese design style with Islamic taste applied a new form to their artifacts and goods, which is also highly evident in Iranian carpet design that continued for centuries.

Industrial clusters in the developing economies: Insights from the Iranian carpet industry

AbstractIndustrial clusters are perceived as potential drivers of small and medium‐sized enterprises development and efficient policy instruments to lead national and regional innovation and growth. However, these clusters in developing economies are typically placed in complex environments that impose a mix of serious challenges that adversely affect their overall performance. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the nature of these challenges and understand their dynamics using a case study of a carpet industry cluster in Iran. Using multiple sources of evidence, the study reveals two distinct, yet interrelated, levels of challenges: micro and macro. Under each level, a number of key dimensions were identified and theoretically linked which helped to conceptualize the structure of these challenges and model their dynamics.

Twentieth century Iranian carpets: investigation of red dye molecules and study of traditional madder dyeing techniques

Red is undoubtedly one of the principal colors in Iranian carpets. During the twentieth century, a golden era for Iranian carpet production and export industry, madder was still one of the primary constituents of the red dyestuff, used according to various dyeing methods which is specific for Iran. Compared to the earlier periods, the said period witnessed a clear increase in the hues of the color red and in the alternation of physical and visual properties. We, therefore, aim to get a better insight into the chemical and physical properties of the component which made it all possible—dyes. To this effect, eighteen red wool samples with various hues were collected from seven Iranian carpets belonging to the aforementioned period (from Ali Mirzaei’s private collection) and analyzed using three techniques: reversed-phase-high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC-DAD), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDX) and colorimetry. We also studied traditional dying recipes to underpin the scientific process involved. We focused on recipes based on madder, which are mordanted with organic additives such as qarehqurut (a kind of Iranian dairy product; also known as Gharehghorut). These substances, additionally, helped control the acidity of the dyebath; a common technique from the period. The effect of these substances on the hue, the associated red dye chemistry, various visual and physical properties, including color fastness, are reported. Our study revealed, among other facts, that the additive qarehqurut is highly efficient at improving color absorption and at increasing lightfastness. Another salient finding was that, besides madder, various synthetic dye sources were used by the twentieth century “traditional” Iranian red dyeing industry.

TÜRKMEN HALILARINDAN ÖĞRENDİKLERİMİZ

Despite an ever-increasing interest in Turkmen carpets in the West, little information was available about them until recently. Most studies are about the aesthetic and technical aspects of the carpets and rugs. This article looks at these carpets from a linguistic point of view. Initially, the article deals with the etymology of the word halı meaning ‘carpet’ which has been the subject of an ongoing dispute between Turkic and Iranian carpet experts who are not linguists. While studying the Turkmen verb yügürt- meaning ‘to begin weaving’ in carpet terminology, we found the root of the word yurt originally meaning ‘abandoned tent site’ in the word used as yügürt > yüwürt in Turkmen dialects. This term also helped us find the root of the archaic Türkic word yurç meaning ‘the husband’s brother’. For getting married or tying the knot in some Turkic languages the term nikah kıymak ( nikah kəsmək) is used. Nikah is an Arabic word meaning ‘marriage’ and Turkic words kıymak and kəsmək mean ‘to cut, to slice’. No one has ever paid attention to this anomaly about nikah being cut. The equivalent of nikah in Old Turkish is tügün which means ‘knot’. Therefore, to get married in Old Turkish is to cut the knot. The fact that the act of cutting the knot is related to carpet weaving, could be observed in Turkmen marriage rituals; when a mullah is conducting the marriage ceremony, a woman constantly opens and closes a pair of scısors as if cutting a knot. The most important pattern of the Turkmen rugs and carpets is called gȫl meaning ‘lake’. Every Turkmen tribe has its own gȫl. This pattern is related to the yir sub ‘earth and water’ cult of Shamanism. The concept of earth in Shamanism is expressed by the mountain that is regarded as a sacred place. Animals that live in the mountains are thought to be awliyas or saints. For example, the mountain ram called Konurbaş is an awliya and it bears the name of a mode in Turkmen folk music called konurbaş mukamı. In Turkmen carpets mountain is used as a pattern in the form of an Old Turkish runic letter t/ta. For the pattern of home which is also a sacred place, the letter b/eb is used. In the Turkmen Sahra region of northern Iran, at the foot of the mountain called Gökçe Dağ, near the historic graveyard of Halid Nabi, there were watermelon-shaped tombstones with symbols on them. These symbols are similar to some of the patterns seen on the Turkmen carpets. Many carpet experts have written about the relationship between carpet and music, but no one has reached a concrete conclusıon. This article proves that the name of the carpet in the oldest Turkic texts had derived from the word kopuz, the oldest musical instrument of the Turkic peoples. The Turkmen carpet loom, like a stringed musical instrument has a bridge and a stick functions as a peg by keeping the weft tight. The weft resembles strings of a musical instrument and in Persian it is called tār, a word that is noticed in the names of musical instruments like dutār, a two-stringed musical instrument and sitār a three-stringed instrument. The name of a carpet loom in Turkmen is gurama/ kurama which denotes setting up and tunıng.

Framing 'Islamic Art' for Aesthetic Interiors: Revisiting the 1878 Paris Exhibition

Abstract The 1878 Exposition Universelle in Paris is known for the substantial scope and content of its Islamic art displays – the most extensive offered to an international audience by that date. A renewed analysis of this influential event demonstrates that it featured a network of distinct – though often interlinked – installations that come under the label of 'Islamic art', situated across a complex site. These included national initiatives, such as L'Égypte des Khalifes, sponsored by the ruling Khedive of Egypt, and the purpose-built Pavillon de la Perse, constructed by master-builders dispatched from Qajar Tehran. Commercial undertakings included a display of Vincent Robinson's Iranian carpets in the British India section. At the Galerie orientale curated by Albert Goupil in the Palais du Trocadéro, other objects loaned from private collections were presented. Common across these various displays was persuasively staged architecture. This article argues for the centrality of architectural salvage and reconstruction in the early history of private and public displays of Islamic art. By examining the different individuals who created both L'Égypte des Khalifes and the Galerie orientale, article proposes a new assessment of an elite domestic culture, pursued by affluent bachelor aesthetes of the period, with many modern resonances.

The Use of Sumac as a Natural Mordant in Green Production of Iranian Carpet

Dyeing is a state-of-the-art realm of textile engineering, however, the emphasis on petroleum-based products is now shifting towards green fibers, particularly, green manufacturing processes. In the present work, a natural mordant, sumac, was extracted and used alone and in combination with alum (a mineral mordant) in silk fibers dyeing with madder and Reseda green dye to make the green production of Iranian carpet possible. The FT-IR ATR spectra of the washed, mordanted, and mordanted dyed silk fibers revealed bonding between silk fibers and green materials. The color of the silk fibers dyed with madder and Reseda extraction was quantified in terms of CIELab (L*, a*, and b*) and K/S values. The effects of different treatments on fastness properties including light, wash, and rubbing fastness were assessed by ISO standard test method.

The Pathology of Weaving and Production of the Hand-woven Carpets: Heriz Region Case Study

The carpet, as one of the most precious achievement of people, is a culture. The world’s recognition of Iranian carpet and its glorification originates from endeavor of people who have integrated artistic verve with mysterious attractions of national culture and arts. This study is descriptive-analytic. The data were collected through field research method and direct communication with people and workshops of drawing, weaving, and dyeing. In fact, the assessment tools were taken to the field, and data collection was completed by questioning, interview, observation, and shooting. Then, they were used for derivation, classification, and analysis. SPSS software also used to analyze collected data. . According to the result of this study, regarding the latest forecasts for Iranian hand-woven carpet industry, carpet exports will increase in the future. Therefore, it is better to consider the weaving and marketing of the carpet as a luxury product in order to achieve the profits maintaining the incentive of production in all units involved in the hand-woven carpet’s production and also to reduce poor quality carpets available in the market.

Study of Personal Hearing Protection Devices Usage in Kashan Carpet Industry Workers

Background: Exposure to noise can result in hearing loss in many industrial workers. In many cases, hearing protective devices (HPDs) are considered as the main protective objects. As a large number of workers in the Iranian carpet weaving industry are usually exposed to noise levels exceeding the permissible exposure limits. Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate the use of HPDs, quality of available equipment and possible reasons for lack of protective devices usage. Methods: In a descriptive, cross-sectional study, 136 workers of Kashan carpet industries exposed to noise pressure levels greater than the action level defined in the Iranian legislation (85 dB (A) 8 h/d) were evaluated for HPDs use. The quality and HPDs suitability was defined according to the workers exposure to noise, available HPDs and their Noise Reduction Rate (NRR). The reasons for nonusage of HPDs were evaluated as well. Data were analyzed using the SPSS v. 18 software. Results: The mean age and work experience of workers were 31.39 � 5.6 and 4.35 � 2.5 years, respectively. Among the exposed-tonoise personnel, 7.35% used HPDs constantly; 75% used HPDs for only short periods of time (less than four hours) and 17.65% did not make use of them at all. Regarding the sound intensity and the level of noise reduction of HPDs, among the 112 workers who used such devices, 59.6% had HPDs with appropriate protection and 22.8% used inappropriate ones. There was a significant relationship between age, work experience, education and use of HPDs. Inappropriateness and difficulty in the use of the devices were also reported as the main reasons for not using them. Conclusions: This study showed an unsatisfactory situation in the mentioned industries for HPDs usage; low percentage of usage, low preparation rate, the inappropriateness of some of the HPDs, and unawareness of some of the workers. A noise training and education program is recommended to be developed for workers in order to protect them from hazardous noises. Keywords: Hearing Protective Devices, Carpet Industry, Noise

Exploring the role of intellectual capital in the development of e‐business models

PurposeThis paper aims at exploring the role of structural capital (SC) dimensions – customer, process and innovational – in the development of e‐business models (eBM). The Iranian carpet industry is tested regarding five types of eBMs: Direct to customer, Full Service Provider, Virtual Community, Shared Infrastructure and Value Net Integrator.Design/methodology/approachFirst, measures for SC dimensions and required core competencies for eBMs are extracted from the literature. Then, the correlation level between SC dimensions and different eBMs are hypothesized. Finally, after using a questionnaire in 30 Iranian carpet companies, the hypotheses are tested.FindingsThis study indicates that three dimensions of SC influence different eBMs in their own way. While one instant dimension is strongly effective for one eBM, it does not significantly affect the other one.Research limitations/implicationsThe role of human capital – the second part of intellectual capital – on the development of eBM as well as the dependency of some other eBMs such as intermediaries on intellectual capital should be investigated in further research.Practical implicationsUsing the help of this study, firstly, companies will concentrate on the most effective dimensions of SC in developing a special eBM. Secondly, they will exclude those eBMs which are not applicable regarding their knowledge capabilities.Originality/valueThis study brings together two disciplines that have not been considered together before: the development of eBMs and the management of intellectual capital.

An empirical study on the effect of WTO membership on Iranian Handicraft industry: A case study of Persian carpet

Article history: Received January 16, 2013 Received in revised format 14 April 2013 Accepted 16 April 2013 Available online April 17 2013 The world Trade Organization (WTO) is one of the few organizations, which could significantly influence on foreign trade and consequently on the economic structure of the countries. There are literally different people in Iran who either encourage or discourage WTO membership. Therefore, it is important to analyze Iran’s WTO membership to empower Iranian handmade carpet in international trades and to help improvement in quality of production. The purpose of this research is to study the effects of Iran’s membership in WTO to empower this industry by performing an empirical survey among 100 experts in this industry. Findings demonstrate that access to WTO plays an important role on increasing production of handmade carpet and developing this industry. In addition, the industry needs to incorporate the recent advances on technology to ensure cost efficient production materials. The industry also needs more creative and innovative ideas due to an increase competition in handmade carpet producers from other countries. © 2013 Growing Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

A BOCR and Fuzzy AHP method for identification and prioritization of carpet industry strategies

Article history: Received July 16, 2012 Received in Revised form August, 27, 2012 Accepted 20 September 2012 Available online September 25 2012 Carpet is one of the most popular handcraft industries in Iran and it has created significant number of jobs in various villages and small towns in this country. There are literally many designs and plans introduced by Iranian carpet makers but during the past two decades, we have seen an increasing competition mostly from other countries such as China, India, Pakistan, etc. On the other hands, there are ongoing interests for membership of world trade organization (WTO) and it is necessary to take the necessary actions. The proposed study of this paper uses different mathematical techniques to consider different actions for changing threats to opportunities, reducing unnecessary costs, increasing revenue and market share, etc. The proposed model of this paper uses Fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (AHP), BenefitsOpportunities-Costs-Risks (BOCR) method to detect possible benefit, risk and cost components. We first setup all useful strategies and then using AHP prioritizes different actions. © 2012 Growing Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Respiratory Symptoms and Pulmonary Function Changes among Carpet Weavers in Iran

Respiratory and allergic symptoms were evaluated in 66 Iranian carpet weavers and 66 controls with similar age and gender characteristics using a questionnaire including questions on work-related respiratory symptoms in the past year, allergies, smoking habits, and work exposure duration. A total of 28 carpet weavers (42%) reported work-related respiratory symptoms. Incidences of allrespiratory symptoms and most allergic symptoms were significantly higher in carpet weavers than in controls (p<0.05 - p<0.001). Moreover, most respiratory and allergic symptoms in carpet weavers were significantly more prominent during working hours (p<0.01 - p<0.001). Pulmonary function test results of the carpet weavers showed significant impairment compared with controls (p<0.05 - p<0.001).

Ergonomic design of carpet weaving hand tools

This study was conducted in Iranian carpet industry to determine the prevalence of upper limb problems associated with hand tools design, investigate the design of hand tools currently used in carpet weaving operation, and design/redesign the tools based on anthropometric dimensions and ergonomic principles. This study consisted of two phases. In the first phase, 862 weavers from three Iranian provinces participated. A questionnaire consisting of personal details, Nordic Questionnaire for upper limbs and a table for anthropometric dimensions of hand was used to collect the required data. In the design phase, the study focused on designing/redesigning the weaving comb, knife and scissors as the most common tools in carpet weaving operation. Based on the first phase results, three prototypes of the hand tools were made in this phase. Usability test was conducted to assess comfort and applicability of the designed hand tools and the weavers’ perceptions. Ten experienced weavers participated in this test. Statistical analyses revealed significant differences between the scores of the old and the new designed tools. There was a significant preference towards the comfort and applicability of the prototypes ( p<0.01). The new ergonomically designed weaving hand tools were found to be applicable and acceptable by the carpet weavers. Relevance to industry In hand-woven carpet industry as a small-scale industry, hand tools are widely used. As extensive use of hand tools may play an important role in the development of upper limb musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), ergonomic improvements in the carpet hand tools may promote health and safety among carpet weavers.

Ties that Bind: A Social History of the Iranian Carpet, Leonard M. Helfgott

Digest of Middle East StudiesVolume 5, Issue 1 p. 85-88 Ties that Bind: A Social History of the Iranian Carpet, Leonard M. Helfgott Cynthia D. Bertelsen M.A., M.S., M.L.I.S., Cynthia D. Bertelsen M.A., M.S., M.L.I.S.Search for more papers by this author Cynthia D. Bertelsen M.A., M.S., M.L.I.S., Cynthia D. Bertelsen M.A., M.S., M.L.I.S.Search for more papers by this author First published: Winter 1996 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1949-3606.1996.tb00625.xRead the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Volume5, Issue1Winter 1996Pages 85-88 RelatedInformation

Ties That Bind: A Social History of the Iranian Carpet

Ties That Bind: A Social History of the Iranian Carpet