The Influence of Intercultural Historical Connections on Sistan and Turkmen Rugs: A Case Study of the Horses and Camels Footprints Motif

Saljoughi, Farzad; Zakariaee Kermani, Iman

doi:10.22034/jgk.2025.421817.1164

The Influence of Intercultural Historical Connections on Sistan and Turkmen Rugs: A Case Study of the Horses and Camels Footprints Motif

Document Type : تاریخ هنر خراسان بزرگ

Authors

Farzad Saljoughi ¹

Iman Zakariaee Kermani ²

¹ Master of Carpet research, Department of Handicrafts, Art University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

² Associate Professor of Carpet Department, Department of Handicrafts, Art University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

10.22034/jgk.2025.421817.1164

Abstract

This study investigates the origins of the similarities between Sistani and Turkmen carpets, which have been noted by numerous scholars. One of the shared motifs in both regions is the horse and camel footprint design, known as "Meddakhani" and "Chapatt-e Shotr" in Sistan and as "Mari Gul" and "Filpi Gul" among Turkmen tribes. The research aims to examine the influence of cross-cultural interactions on the emergence of these shared motifs in Sistani and Turkmen carpets.
The central question addressed is: What explains the similarities in carpet motifs between Turkmen and Sistani tribes, particularly through the study of the horse and camel footprint design? Using a comparative-analytical method, the study analyzes both causal variables (including cross-cultural relationships) and non-causal variables (the horse and camel footprint motifs) across eight purposefully selected carpet samples.
The findings reveal that the similarities in motifs stem from the intercultural connections between the ancestors of these groups. The Saka people, who played a pivotal role in shaping the culture and geography of modern-day Sistan, originally inhabited Central Asia. The Oghuz tribes, ancestors of the Turkmen, migrated eastward to Central Asia over successive centuries and engaged in cultural exchanges with the indigenous Saka populations. These interactions led to a distinct shared lifestyle and, ultimately, to the development of common motifs in their carpets.

Keywords

Sistan carpet

Turkmen carpet

Oriental Carpet

Nomadic Carpet

Nomad Art

Subjects

Historical geography, culture, society, history and civilization of Greater Khorasan

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Volume 16, Issue 58 - Serial Number 58
Spring 2025
Pages 1-26

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Journal of Greater Khorasan

The Influence of Intercultural Historical Connections on Sistan and Turkmen Rugs: A Case Study of the Horses and Camels Footprints Motif

Volume 16, Issue 58 - Serial Number 58Spring 2025Pages 1-26

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Volume 16, Issue 58 - Serial Number 58
Spring 2025
Pages 1-26