Identify of Turkaman Carpet-weaving Characteristics Based on Ibn Hessam's Khavaran-nameh

As valuable historical documents, works of art can dramatically contribute to historical research. History of carpet-weaving is vague in some periods and should be clarified by the help of the surviving documents and manuscripts. Ibn Hessam's Khavaran-nameh contains illustrations depicting carpets. The present paper seeks to analyze and extract information from the carpet illustrations in Khavaran-nameh. The focus is on the identity quality and diversity of designs over time. The significance of this study comes from the fact that historiography of carpet-weaving, as the most important Iranian art/craft, and resolving its historical ambiguities is central to an integrated national identity. The findings suggest that Khavaran-nameh is important in the study of Turkaman carpets because it was illustrated shortly after being composed. Although the details of its illustrations are not of high quality, they show a broader variety in comparison with other similar works.