Termeh Weaving

Termeh is a luxurious and exquisite handwoven textile made with Persian artistry. The principal roots of this skill are not precisely clarified. Some researchers say that Termeh was made in Kashmir highlands and then came to Iran. Others believe that Iranians were the innovators of weaving Termeh. Its history in Iran dates back to the Safavid era in Isfahan. The superior evolution of Termeh happened during Shah Abbas Safavid’s reign and became one of the Iranian exportable products.

Termeh

Weaving and Designs

In the past, the first step in weaving Termeh was preparing its raw materials. It was necessary to wash and dry the wool. A handmade Termeh is made of natural fibers, such as silk, wool, or both, and sometimes gold and silver strings are interwoven into this noticeable textile. For weaving Termeh, high-quality wool with tall fibers is required. The patterns of Iranian Termeh are typically the result of collaboration between two key individuals, an expert and a worker.

Weaving Termeh is meticulous, sensitive, and time-consuming. Skilled weavers could produce only 25 to 30 centimeters (about 1 foot) daily. The background colors used in Termeh are mostly red jujube, light red, green, orange, and black. The liking and initiative of Iranians in the weaving delicacy, material, and fantastic schemes of this handicraft are unique. One of the significant duties and barriers of the weaver of Termeh is choosing and matching the colors by recognizing the harmonious colors or even contrasting in a particular form, which can describe a kind of congruity and beauty, so it is considered a secret in the Iranian weaving Termeh.

Skilled weavers use a traditional handloom called Ghlimeh to create the fabric. The weaving process requires great precision and attention to detail. The fabrics often feature intricate designs and motifs, including paisley patterns, floral motifs, and geometric shapes. The most vital Termeh pattern is the paisley (in the Persian language Botteh, or Botteh Jeghe) and the Shah Abbasi flower. Each motif has a distinct meaning and significant role in Iranian culture as the Botteh, or Botteh Jeghe pattern has roots in ancient Iranian religion, Mithraism, and its footprint can be found in Persian Carpets and other Persian craftsmanship like Ghalamkar textiles. This pattern on a Termeh is accompanied by other designs involving cypress, fish, birds, and delicate floral forms.

Termeh is made in different colors, including distinct shades of red jujube, green, orange, and turquoise blue, but all colors are deep and modest. The number of colors, the motif’s delicacy, and the textile’s quality assess the worth of a Termeh textile. Termeh is frequently utilized to create a variety of traditional Persian textiles and garments, including scarves, shawls, tablecloths, and decorative items. It is also used in making customary Persian clothing such as jackets, vests, and formal attire.

Sermeh Doozi

In ancient Persia, a prominent needlework was called Sermeh Doozi. The embossed method has long been employed on luxurious fabrics and clothing. The artist utilizes a threaded needle and passes it through small, delicate pieces of gold embroidery tube (Sermeh), sews, and secures it to the fabric. The designer usually makes the motifs and patterns more glamorous and outstanding using pearls and beads. This sort of embossed work is truly marvelous and one of a kind.

Heart of Termeh Production

Yazd and Isfahan were the first cities to be known for their Termeh. The history of the Termeh is linked to the Silk Road, where merchants brought silk to Iran. During that time, Iranian artisans took the opportunity to create and showcase masterpieces such as Termeh. By traveling to Yazd, you can see various types of Termeh in this city’s traditional or modern markets. Nearly all locals and those with Yazdi ancestry possess some weaving skills in Termeh. Currently, Termeh in Yazd is offered to the market manually or even by machine and fully meets the needs of consumers. Termeh is a souvenir of the city of Yazd. The city of Yazd is known as the cradle of Termeh weaving and offers its products to the market with more unique features than other producers throughout Iran. This has made the characteristics of Yazdi Termeh more unique than others, such as more shine, Tenderness, Beauty and Order, and High Diversity.

More Shine

If Yazdi Termeh is woven with pure silk, it has more extensive shine than others do. When choosing Yazd Termeh, paying attention to the shine of the Termeh fabric can be helpful. The brighter the Termeh you are considering and the more its colors have an impression on your eyes, the higher the quality and more authentic it is. Of course, without directly comparing Yazdi Termeh and other Termeh, you may be a little hesitant to examine the shine of the products. But know that a Termeh woven in Yazd is a product with an extraordinary and captivating shine.

Tenderness

Another unique feature of Termeh is its exceptional softness. If the Termeh is woven from pure silk, it will be tender. Even without silk, Yazd Termeh is still soft and premium. But if the Yazdi Termeh you want is not woven with silk, then again, due to the specialized knowledge of weaving Termeh, the Yazd souvenir of Termeh will be a little softer and smoother than other types of Termeh.

Beauty and Order

One of the unique features of Termeh is its stunning beauty and centuries-old artistry. Yazdi Termeh weavers are skilled artisans who excel at enhancing the beauty of Termeh. This expertise makes Yazd’s souvenir Termeh exceptionally beautiful compared to others. The beauty and order of Termeh are achieved by using high-quality, colorful fibers and eye-catching designs, with careful attention to skillfully combining the finest raw materials.

These Termeh are woven precisely. You cannot observe any misalignment in the individual cells. This level of craftsmanship showcases the exceptional skill of Yazd termeh weavers.

High Diversity

One notable feature of Termeh is its wide variety. Given the boom in the art of Termeh weaving in Yazd province, manufacturers try to offer their products to the market with an exemplary variety to have a beautiful and practical product for every style. Yazdi products present several features, such as shape, color, material, and design, allowing you to choose the best and highest quality options that match your style from the available selections.

Termeh represents the rich artistic and weaving traditions of Iranian culture and heritage. It is often associated with luxury and elegance. Today, skilled artisans in various regions of Iran continue to produce Termeh, sought after domestically and internationally. This exquisite art form captivates foreign travelers, making Termeh an excellent souvenir.

Persian Mirror Art

If we do a little research into the culture, customs, and ethnic coverage of Iranian culture, we can notice that mirrors have a special place. As it has been for a long time, water and mirrors are symbols of brightness, purity, luck, truthfulness, and serenity, so the reason for using mirrors in the decoration of monuments and Iranian architecture may derived from this culture. Iranian traditional mirror work is a kind of ornament in the interior design of Iranian buildings, which Iranian artists created. Principally, customary Iranian mirror work involves regular, symmetrical, and geometric designs with small and large mirror pieces. Mirrors cut into geometric shapes and foliage (inspired by flowers and plants) are used to decorate the interior surfaces of the structure. The reflection of light in the many mirror pieces creates shine and beauty. The art of mirror work is not only used as a decoration of the building but also as a suitable and excellent coating for the strength and durability of the monuments.

History of the Art of Mirror Work

In the 10th century AH, various mirrors were imported to Iran from Europe, and many mirrors were broken during transportation. Iranian artists invented this beautiful art to utilize the broken fragments of mirrors.

The first mirror work was in the courthouse of Shah Tahmasp Safavi, the king of Iran at the time, in 1557 (965 AH), decorated with mirror work. After the capital of Iran moved from Qazvin City to Isfahan City, the mirror work art was used in many of the royal palaces of Isfahan. Among these palaces, the Mirror Pavilion Mansion gained more fame due to the extensive use of mirrors in the ornament of the mansion. The Mirror Pavilion Mansion, like Chehel Sotoon Palace, has a porch with 18 mirrored columns, and the hall and ceiling of the porch are also covered with mirrors. The reflection of the Zayandeh Rud and the groves of its northern shore in the mirrors of this building creates a unique view.

The Chehel Sotoun Palace was built between 1642 and 1668 (1052 and 1078 AH) during the reign of Shah Abbas II, and many mirrors were used in this palace. Tall mirrors, full-length mirrors, small pieces of mirrors, and colored glass were used on the ceiling, porch, and center reception hall (Mirror Hall) to decorate the palace. In the Chehel Sotoon Palace of Isfahan, a large and transparent mirror was installed on the wall at the head of the pond, which was called the Forty Columns Mirror or the World Mirror, and its size and brightness were so great that the images of ordinary people who entered the Chehel Sotoon carriage could be seen in the mirror.

Chehel Sotoun Palace

Gemelli Carreri, a famous Italian adventurer and traveler, wrote in his trip to Azerbaijan to visit the house and palace of Mirza Tahir, the ruler of Azerbaijan in Tabriz, in 1105 AH: In one of the inner courtyards of the room, there is an esthetic mirror work, where not only the walls but also the fireplace are decorated with shining fragments of mirror, creating a dazzling scene under the light. After the fall of the Safavid era, the mirror-making industry fell into decline. The resumption of this art was with the construction of the courthouse of Karim Khan Zand in Shiraz, which was destroyed in 1794 (1209 AH) by order of Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar.

The columns, Khatam doors, and large mirrors were transported to Tehran for expansion and reconstruction of the Dar-e-Amara porch, now known as the Marmortronens veranda. Mirror-making had a gradual development and expansion but was noticeable in the 13th century AH. Thus, beautiful and extraordinary works such as the Shams-ol-Emareh hall and rooms (Mirror Hall) of the Golestan Palace in 1299 AH and several shrines have been decorated with this mirror work art.

Evolution and innovation are evident in the mirrored sections of the Green Palace, located in the Saadabad Cultural and Historical Complex of Shemiran, plus the Marmar Palace, built in 1927 and 1936. In the following years, the art of mirroring expanded beyond historical and religious sites, being incorporated into various structures such as restaurants, shops, and homes.

Mirroring Methods and Designs

Before starting to ornament with mirrors, first, a designer schemes the main design on paper and then uses special needles to transfer the design to walls, ceilings, and columns. After that, mirror fragments are glued to the surfaces, and the thickness of the mirrors is routinely about one millimeter. This task requires a lot of skill and patience. Mirrorwork has two types of mirroring methods: flat and embossed.

Flat Mirroring

In this method, the design is completely adhered to the surfaces. This enables the mirrors to be attached flatly and without angles. The final design has no protrusions.

Embossed Mirror Work

In this method, mirrors are affixed at an angle based on the original design, and the creation of volume accompanies the execution of this design. These designs are in the form of raised and recessed geometries that create a three-dimensional and embossed appearance. This method is commonly used in Iranian architecture, especially on the ceilings of religious buildings such as the Ali Ibn Hamza Mausoleum in Shiraz.

Common Designs and Combinations in Mirror Work

The most widespread mirroring design is the knotting or knotting technique. This type of design is widely used in all branches of Iranian art, such as mosque tiling.

Another design is framing (in the Persian language, it is Ghab Sazi or Ghab Bandi), used to decorate ceilings. Sometimes, the frames that make up the ceiling are only rectangular mirrors. One of the best examples of this design is the ceiling (Mirror Hall) of Golestan Palace. Another type of mirror work is the ruby design (in Persian, it is Yaghuti), which can also be found in the Marmar Palace and the Abbasi Hotel in Isfahan. This style of mirror work utilizes colorful glass, and its designs predominantly feature flowers, bushes, bergamot (referred to as “Toranj” in Persian), and half-bergamot (known as “Nim-Toranj” in Persian).

Muqarnas mirroring is a distinctive style of traditional mirror design, primarily applied to flat surfaces and often found in sacred sites. Volumetric shapes have been popular in the past and present. These include half-circles, known as cup bowls or cup flowers, or covered muqarnas with mirrors, used in the half-domed ceilings of porches or under domes. Another common combination is the merging of mirror art and wood carving, which can be seen in the Emarat-e-Badgir of Golestan Palace in Tehran and the Qavam House in Shiraz. Other places decorated with this art include the Saadabad Museum, Niavaran Palace in Tehran, Nasir al-Molk Mosque, Vakil Bath in Shiraz, Jame’ Mosque of Isfahan, and the Soltaniyeh Dome in Zanjan.

Golestan Palace

Modern Mirror Work

In recent years, the art of mirroring has expanded beyond royal palaces and is now commonly found in various settings. Restaurants, supermarkets, shopping malls, hotels, and even private homes are incorporating mirror work to enhance the attractiveness and diversity of their spaces. This trend has sparked innovations in traditional mirroring techniques. Designers and architects utilize mirrors in the interior of buildings to create a modern and good-looking space and new patterns and schemes.

These designs are known as modern mirroring. In modern Iranian mirroring, designs utilize more simple decorations. For example, in Iran Mall, the largest entertainment and commercial complex in Iran, the art of mirror work has been used well. Modern mirror work has various schemes and models, including rhombus mirrors, triangle mirrors, broken mirrors, accordion mirrors, solar mirrors, irregular mirrors, jigsaw mirrors, waterfall mirrors, and jeweled mirrors.

The art of mirroring has a rich history in Iranian architecture, encompassing traditional and trendy mirroring. Mirrors bring spaces to life and enhance the perception of breadth and depth within them. This technique can be utilized as art or decorative elements in various spaces. Mirrors are commonly found in religious and historical sites, and foreign travelers are often captivated by the magnificence and intricacy of Iranian mirror work, considering it truly remarkable.