The Structural Study of Designs and Motifs of Bakhshayesh Rugs during Late 19th Century up to the Present

Bakhshayesh, located in North Azerbaijan Province, is one of the traditional rug weaving areas in Iran and has a long history and a worldwide fame in this craft. Due to the cultural reasons in the area and the dominance of the famous Heris City, Bakhshayesh rugs are generally known as Heris rugs in the markets whereas they have specific characteristics and indigenous motifs which have not been studied independently yet. In this article, the evolution of Bakhshayesh designs from past to present has been studied. To this end, the history of Bakhshayesh rug weaving has been divided into periods of past (18th century) and contemporary (19th century till now) and the design, color and execution characteristics of each period are presented. A study of the present time designs of these rugs follows. The aim of the study is the identification of the evolutionary structures of Bakhshayesh rugs, their patterns and motifs and the weaving characteristics of this area. There is little past information about these rugs although they have a worldwide fame. As a result, the following research questions are asked: (A)- How has the variety of the patterns of Bakhshayesh rugs been developed throughout history?, (B)- What were the characteristics of the patterns and motifs of Bakhshayesh rugs in those periods?. This research is descriptive-historical and the conclusion is reached through a qualitative approach. Data collection method was field and library study. The results show that the main pattern of the present time designs in this area is Tajeri Medallion Lachak. The findings, also, indicate that the structure of the patterns of Bakhshayesh rugs at present enjoys less variety and are limited to Medallion Lachak which follow a specific design in three patterns of Laleh, Esmat and Tajeri.