A comparative study on the symbols of ancient Iran and its effect on post-Islamic carpets

Carpet designers at all times, under the influence of indigenous religion and culture, use symbolic patterns on carpets. In the Islamic period, Iranian carpets were influenced by the culture and religion of their time and benefited from Islamic symbolism. These symbols are very diverse, but what is at stake are the symbols that have their roots in pre-Islamic Iran, but have re-emerged in Iranian-Islamic carpets. The present article tries to classify and analyze these symbols by comparative-analytical method by examining ancient motifs, then answers questions such as why these motifs are applied to Iranian carpets in the Islamic period and how these motifs correspond to Islamic thought. Due to the wide range of symbolic motifs with ancient themes, in this research, only three symbols will be discussed and analyzed, which include symbolic motifs; Phoenix is ​​the battle of lions and cows and is the symbol of Forouhar. It can be seen that symbols can survive as long as they conform to the religious and political views of the society of that day. Among these, ancient motifs in three categories have been able to survive in the Islamic period; 1- Structurally as in the past but changed in meaning in accordance with the Islamic vision 2- Structurally and meaningfully as in the past but due to the fact that it does not conflict with Islamic thought has lasted and only some meanings have been added to it 3- To Structurally and semantically, it was the same as the previous period, although it did not correspond to Islamic thought, but it corresponded to the political thought of society and the monarchy.