Alone in Iran – What Was I Thinking? Backpack blog: Heart my backpack

I have never had people express so many opinions about my travels as when I decided to backpack Iran solo for two weeks. Everyone seemed to have something to say about it, with responses ranging from “That is amazing, I would totally join you if I didn’t have a U.S. passport,” to “You’re going there alone? What sort of death wish do you have?” and the blunt words of my extremely well-traveled great uncle, “Iran is not a nice place, go to Greece instead.”

A friend of a friend even wrote a Facebook note (people still write those?) about my plans, saying that I was either incredibly brave, or incredibly naive and ignorant. In the end he applauded my willingness to put myself in harm’s way in order to experience a place with real sexism, which he took to be some sort of feminist statement about being a woman in America.

What?! Sorry to disappoint, but really I just wanted to see Persia.

I mean, Iran is home to one of the world’s oldest civilizations, hosts nineteen UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and boasts beautiful landscapes stretching from dense rain forests to snowcapped mountains to desert basins. Plus, so many backpackers whom I met in Central Asia absolutely raved about their time backpacking through Iran. The hospitable people, delicious food and historic sites – how could I not add backpacking Iran to my travel itinerary?

So, was backpacking Iran solo a good decision?

I’ve now been in Iran for a week and a half and, like most places, it’s not exactly what I had imagined. I’m writing this from my new friend Mina’s apartment, where we’re huddled together with hot mugs of tea listening to loud explosions coming from the street. Every few minutes a particularly large explosion will light up the apartment and we’ll look at each other with a mixture of fear and awe.

You guys, it’s the Persian New Year!

As part of the “Nowruz” New Year’s celebrations, which are Iran’s biggest of the year and include Zoroastrian rituals and traditions dating back 3,000 years, on the last Tuesday of the year, families gather together in celebration, building bonfires to run around and jump over, lighting off firecrackers, and sending fire lanterns into the sky, all with random outbursts of song and dance.

Source: https://www.heartmybackpack.com/blog/backpacking-solo-through-iran/

A brief history of oriental carpets part IV

The court period of the Persian carpet ended with the Afghan invasion in 1722. The Afghans destroyed Esfahan, yet their domination lasted for only a short period and in 1736, a young Chieftain from Khorasan, Nader Khan became the Shah of Persia. Through the whole course of his reign, all the country’s forces were utilised in campaigns against the Afghans, the Turks, and the Russians. During this period, and for several turbulent years after his death in 1747, no carpets of any great value were made, and solely nomads, and craftsmen in small villages continued the tradition of this craft.

In the last quarter of the 19th Century and during the reign of the Qajar rulers trade and craftsmanship regained their importance. Carpet making flourished once more with Tabriz merchants exporting carpets to Europe through Istanbul. At the end of the 19th Century some European and American companies even set up businesses in Persia and organised craft production destined for western markets.

Kashan Carpet

Today, Carpet weaving is by far the most widespread handicraft in Iran. Persian carpets are renowned for their richness of colour, variety of spectacular artistic patterns and quality of design. In palaces, famous buildings, mansions and museums the world over, a Persian carpet is amongst the most treasured possession.

Major Weaving Centers:
Arak, Ardebil, Bijar, Hamadan, Esfahan, Kashan, Kerman, Mashhad, Nain, Qom, Sanandaj, Shiraz, Tabriz, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan.

How To Prevent Your Carpet From Making You Sick !!

Your carpet is an important part of your home. Clean carpet not only looks great, but it can also keep you healthy. If your carpet is dirty, then you are more likely to develop health problems, such as allergies, skin problems and asthma. Dirty can also worsen existing health problems and skin problems. There are many things that you can do to prevent yourself from getting sick from your carpet.Look out for Unusual Smells
Your home should not have an unpleasant and musty odor. This smell may be coming from your carpet. Mold can cause carpet to develop an unpleasant smell. Mold can cause health problems. That is why if you suspect that you have mold in your home, then you will need to call a professional as soon as possible.

Use a Vacuum Cleaner With a HEPA Filter

Carpet cleaning experts do not always agree on how often the carpet should be cleaned. However, many agree that your carpet should be vacuumed at least twice a week. If you have pets, then you will probably have to vacuum your carpet a lot more often. The best vacuum cleaners to use are the ones that have a HEPA filter. They are more effective for removing dirt and debris than traditional vacuum cleaners.

Get Your Carpet Professionally Cleaned

Even if you are meticulous about vacuuming your carpet, you will still need to have it cleaned by a professional at least once a year. A professional carpet cleaning will deliver much better results. Many carpet cleaning companies use the hot water extraction method, which can clean the carpet without any chemicals. It also uses less water, which allows the carpet to dry faster.

Replace Your Carpet if Needed

Irritants have a tendency to build up in your carpet over the years. That is why you will eventually need to have old carpet replaced. You will also need to have your carpet replaced if it is worn out. Additionally, it is a good idea to replace your carpet if you live in a home that was built before 1978.

Use a Doormat

You can reduce the amount of dirt and debris that gets tracked into your home by using a doormat. One of the many great things about a doormat is that it is inexpensive. Spending a few dollars on a doormat will help you protect your carpet for many years.

Clean up Spots Immediately

If something spills on your carpet, then you will need to make sure that it is cleaned up immediately. The sooner you clean up the stain, the less likely it will be to sink in your carpet. It will also reduce the amount of bacteria that accumulates in your carpet.

Make sure that you blot stains instead of rubbing them. The only things that you will need to remove the stains are paper towels and a cleaning solution. Blotting involves putting a little bit of pressure on the stain, which makes it easier for you to soak up it up.

Winter Sale on Carpets

Check out our website or visit our store for a wide variety of hand-made carpets.

Special offers in store…………………….

 

 

A brief history of Persian carpets Part III

In the Turkish (or Ghiordes) knot the yarn is taken twice around two adjacent warp threads and the ends are drawn out between these two threads.

Sinneh Knot

In the Persian (or Sinneh) Knot, the wool thread forms a single turn about the warp thread. One end comes out over this thread and the other over the next warp thread.

The Mongol conquest and control of Persia (1220 – 1449) was initially brutal. However, they soon came under the influence of the Persians. The palace of Tabriz, belonging to the Ilkhan leader, Ghazan Khan (1295 – 1304) had paved floors covered with precious carpets. The Monghol ruler Shah Rokh (1409 – 1446) contributed to the reconstruction of much that was destroyed by the Mongols and encouraged all the artistic activities of the region. However, the carpets in this period were decorated with simple motifs, which were mainly geometric in style.

Esfahan Carpet

The Persian carpet reached its zenith during the reign of the Safavid Dynasty in the 16th century. Indeed the first concrete proofs of this craft date back to this period. Approximately 1500 examples are preserved in various museums and in private collections worldwide. During the reign of Shah Abbas (1587 – 1629), commerce and crafts prospered in Persia. Shah Abbas encouraged contacts and trade with Europe and transformed his new capital Esfahan, into one of the most glorious cities of Persia. He also created a court workshop for carpets where skilled designers and craftsmen set to work to create splendid specimens. Most of these carpets were made of silk, with gold and silver threads adding even more embellishment. Two of the best know carpets of the Safavid period; dated 1539 come from the mosque of Ardebil. Many experts believe that these carpets represent the culmination of achievement in carpet design. The larger of the two carpets in now kept in London’s Victoria and Albert Museum while the other is displayed at the Los Angeles County Museum.

 

Culture Iran

Farsi, the official language of Iran, is historically one of the most prominent languages of the Middle East and extended regions. Iranian culture is one of the oldest in the region, and it has influenced cultures like Italy, Macedonia, Greece, Russia, the Arabian Peninsula, and parts of Asia. Islam is practiced by the majority of Iranians and governs their personal, political, economic and legal lives.

The Persian calendar is a solar calendar, however, some of the official religious Islamic and Shia holidays are based on a lunar calendar. Government official working days are from Saturday to Wednesday.

A brief history of Persian Carpet and its patterns

PART II

 

When Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon in 539 BC, he was struck by its splendour, and it was probably he who introduced the art of carpet making into Persia. However, historical records show that magnificent carpets adorned the court of Cyrus the Great, who founded the Persian Empire over 2,500 years ago. It is also said that the tomb of Cyrus, who was buried at Pasargadae near Persepolis, was covered with precious carpets. Even before his time, it is very likely that Persian nomads knew about the use of Knotted carpets. Their herds of sheep and goats provided them with high quality and durable wool for this purpose.

The first documented evidence on the existence of carpets came from Chinese texts dating back to the Sassanid Dynasty (224 – 641 CE). In 628 CE, the Emperor Heraclius brought back a variety of carpets from the conquest of Ctesiphon, the Sassanian capital. The Arabs also conquered Ctesiphon in 637 CE, and among the spoils brought back were said to be many carpets, one of which was the famous garden carpet, the “Spring time of Khosro”. This carpet has passed into history as the most precious of all time. Made during the reign of Khosro I (531 – 579 CE) the carpet was 90 Feet square. The Arab historians’ description is as follows: “The border was a magnificent flower bed of blue, red, white, yellow and green stones; in the background the colour of the earth was imitated with gold; clear stones like crystals gave the illusion of water; the plants were in silk and the fruits were formed by colour stones” However, the Arabs cut this magnificent carpet into many pieces, which were then sold separately.

Turkish Knot After the period of domination by the Arab Caliphates, a Turkish tribe, named after their founder, Seljok conquered Persia. Their domination (1038 – 1194 CE) was of great importance in the history of Persian carpets. The Seljuk women were skilful carpet makers using Turkish knots. In the provinces of Azerbaijan and Hamadan where Seljuk influence was strongest and longest lasting, the Turkish knot is used to this day.