KASHAN is located 258 km (160 miles) south of Tehran. It is a large oasis town along the western edge of the great desert, Kavir, in the province of Isfahan in central Iran. The central heights of the country cross this township and part of it is located in a vast plain while the other part is in a mountainous area. The climate, like all of central Iran, varies depending on the topography of the region. The mountainous areas are cold and the plains, especially the desert margins, are warm. Kashan is one of the oldest cities of Iran. Archeological excavations in the Sialk hills (located 4 km west of the city) indicate that this area was the home of pre-historic humans. It was a thriving city in the Sassanid Dynasty. During the Islamic period, it was a famous city as well. The local architecture is unique and interesting. The most important historical and religious monuments of the city are as follows:
• Hot mineral water springs
• Fin and Abbas-Abad historic gardens
• Abyaneh historical and amazing village.
• Old public bathes
• Birjandi House
• Underground water reservoirs
(*Registered as historical sites by UNESCO)
Sometime, after the 16th century when carpet-weaving began in Kashan, the fine rugs and carpets that were produced had acquired the name "the palace carpet." The reason for this name was that these treasures were hung as works of art in palaces all over the world. After, the silk industry was well developed by the 17th century, designs didn't seem to change much thereafter. And by the end of the Second World War, it was estimated that the city of Kashan could operate 12000 professional looms simultaneously. Some of the famous master weavers in Kashan are:
• Afshari
• Atai
• Dabir Sanaye (Sanayeh)
• Ghiyath al Din Jami
• Hosseinzadeh
• Madeh
• Maqsud Kashani
• Sabet
Kashan carpets and rugs have the greatest curvature and visibility among those of the cities in central of Iran. They all have a similar pattern--a single, diamond-shaped medallion with small matching spandrels on a floral field, with an all-over field of Shah Abbas flowers, and with Persian floral motifs filled with arabesques, flower-stems, palmettos, rosettes, blossoms, and leaf motifs all in which form an extremely dense pattern. Pictorial and hunting scenes can also be found in these patterns. Kashan rugs and carpets are of excellent quality. Older ones (before 1945) are very good, but some of the newer ones are not as good. They sometimes are chemically dyed. Kashan rugs and carpets are one of the finest looking carpets in Iran and the world. Kashan rugs and carpets are made from good quality wool, often using kurk wool (from the neck of lambs). Kashan carpets come in different sizes, but the majority of them are mid-sized from 4x6 to 8x10 feet. You can also find larger rugs up to 10x18 feet. The customary colors for older pieces from Kashan are reds and blues. Newer pieces consist of soft greens, subtle blues, and pale beiges. Kashan rugs and carpets have soft wool and a thin, tight pile. The warp of the foundation is made of cotton, while the weft is made of wool. However, there are some very fine pieces that are made entirely of silk. The weavers in Kashan use asymmetrical, Persian knots in which the weave is fine to exceptionally fine. The average knot count varies but averages from around 120 KPSI (30 RAJ) up to 842 KPSI (80 RAJ).
In reference to a statement made earlier about Kashans being "palace carpets" , these pieces definitely hold true to the fact that they are of high quality and are fit for royalty.
