Kerman

Kerman is a historic town located in the highlands of southeastern Iran, approximately 1000 km from Tehran, situated in a dry area that stretches southwest of the Lut Desert. It is a plateau city with an average elevation of about 1755 meters, characterized by a harsh climate with little rainfall, scorching summers, and sandstorms in spring, but relatively cool and comfortable conditions in autumn and winter.

In such a desolate desert environment, the people have long held a strong yearning for nature. This sentiment is reflected in the designs of their rugs, with Kerman rugs often featuring vibrant floral patterns. These motifs, reminiscent of flowers blooming in the desert, are known as "Hesar Gol (Thousand Flowers)" and express the love for nature felt by the people living in this arid land.

Kerman has been known for its rich culture of handicrafts, including silk weaving and rug making, for a long time, and it has served as a significant trading hub. Particularly important as a base for caravan trade routes, it was a land where merchants traveled between India and Persia. The rugs woven in this region were introduced to foreign markets early on, with records of exports to Europe dating back to the Safavid era (16th to 17th centuries).

Rug weaving remains a major industry in Kerman to this day, and rugs produced here have become widely recognized traditional crafts internationally.

History

The history of rug production in Kerman is very ancient, with the oldest discovered Kerman rug dating back about 500 years. During the Safavid era in the 16th century, a royal rug workshop was established in Kerman, producing numerous masterpieces, including the magnificent rugs known at the time as "Vase Patterns." These Safavid Kerman rugs were cherished not only by the Persian court but also by European nobility, marking the beginning of the global recognition of Persian rugs. At the end of the 18th century, when civil strife devastated the town of Kerman, many weavers fled to a town called Ravar, located about 150 km northwest of Kerman, where they continued rug production. The rugs woven in Ravar were particularly intricate and of high quality, leading to them being distinguished as "Kerman Ravar." The rug industry revived in Ravar and flourished again from the 19th century to the early 20th century, making Kerman rugs a major export item to Western markets.