 |
 |
| <---previous article |
|
Myth and Design -
Textile Art of Ancient Inner Asia
by Tom Cole
| Throughout the long history of textile production in ancient Inner Asia and Central Asia, we encounter certain recurring themes, themes which reflect ubiquitous beliefs that transcend political borders as well as ethnic groupings. These pervasive images seen in rugs and textiles more than 2000 years old repeatedly | appear over the past two millenium in areas stretching from the Altai Mtns through the steppelands of Central Asia to Anatolia. This pictorial record will hopefully provide a clearer under-standing of the vision and incredible skill of these artisans from past eras and the reasoning behind the creation of these images. |
 |
|
A map of ancient Inner Asia with the location of the Pazyryk burial tombs located in the Altai Mtns in the vicinity of Lake Baikal. |
Early Carpets - Format & Design
| The history of weaving is quite long with the first documented pile rug carbon dated to approx. BCE. The so -called Pazyryk rug is an intricately woven wool rug excavated from a Scythian tomb from the upper regions of the Altai Mtns in Siberia (Fig.1). The origins of the rug have been a source of debate since it was | discovered. The procession of horses seen in the borders of the rug are reminiscent of Achaemenid Persia, similar to the horses depicted at Persepolis, but the decorative ornamentation of the saddlery is apparently executed in the Scytho-Siberian style associated with this region (Fig. 2). |
 |
|
Fig.1. The oldest pile rug known, dated to approx 2300 BCE, excavated in the Altai Mtns in 1949 by Sergei Rudenko. |
 |
|
Fig. 2. The procession of horses, reminiscent of a Persian model but the saddelry is clearly Central Asian in style |
 |
Fig.3 (above) Detail image from the Pazyryk rug, depicting the elk bearing similarly styled horns as the leather applique textile, also excavated from the burial mounds in the Altai depicted below (Fig. 4). |
 |
| Additionally the large elk are again drawn in a style consistent with the indigenous art of the Scythians (Fig. 3). Seen here is a leather appliqué textile excavated from the same tomb, certainly of local origin, portraying a similarly proportioned elk with nearly | identical treatment of the horns as seen in the rug (Fig. 4). The rug itself may have been made in Persia, but for trade with or tribute to a particular Scythian king of the Altai. |
 |
|
Fig. 5. A cut loop pile carpet from Egypt, circa 8th century CE. Note the compartmented design, a feature of early carpets. |
 |
|
Fig. 6. Detail from a painting depicting a Hsiung-nu nomad khan seated on an audience rug, with a compartmented design. These scroll painting dating to the 14th century (believed to be copies of 11th century originals) are very important in understanding the format of early rugs from Ancient Inner Asia. |
| These next images are very interesting, including an early cut loop pile rug from Egypt (Fig. 5) as well as details of a13-14th century Chinese scroll painting, reproduction of Song Period originals (10-11th century) depicting the story of the Princess Wen Chi, and her abduction by the Hsiung-nu nomads of the | steppes. The Hsiung-nu were a nomadic group, vaguely referred to as Turko-Mongol steppe horde, probably a loose confederacy of steppe tribes of varied ethnic origins, and speaking different languages as well. But it is the rugs that are consistently portrayed in these Chinese paintings that are of interest to us at this time. (Fig. 6 & 7) |
 |
Fig. 7. Another image from the 14th century scroll painting depicting the story of the Lady Wen-chi, a Chinese princess abducted by nomads. Again, the rug depicted here is characterised by a compartmented design format. |
 |
|
Fig. 8. An archaic design on what is undoubtedly an extremely old example of pile weaving from the Tibetan plateau region. |
| A consistent theme of design throughout the compartmented format, a format which at this time is considered an “archaic” feature of rugs which appear in the Central Asian mileau. This archaic compartmented format is seldom seen but has survived in an enigmatic Tibeto-Mongol weaving that has been tentatively carbon dated to the late 16th century. Featuring a lion cavorting | within a flaming roundel, a design element associated with 6th century Sassaian period art from Persia, the smaller compartments seen at either end of the rug too reflect an older aesthetic seldom encountered in pile weaving, including the disjointed checkerboard pattern and swirling swastika forms which would be more familiar in another medium, such as felt or embroidery. (Fig. 8) |
Celestial Imagery - Clouds, Cloudband and Swastika Symbols
 |
|
Fig. 9 Kirghiz nomads in Pamir region of ne Afghanistan. Note the designs embroidered on to the white felt of the yurt. |
| The Central Asian steppe lands have been the initial inspriration for much of what we see in later weavings originating throughout Asia, from China to Anatolia. Life in Central Asia has changed much in the last century for a variety of reasons, but still | traditional life including nomadism as it was practiced more than a century ago may still be seen, notably among the Kirghiz tribal groups of the Pamirs in NE Afghanistan and those who still reside in Chinese Turkestan or Xinjiang. (Fig. 9) |
 |
|
Fig. 10. Taken from Bidder, diagrams of Kirghiz patterning, incluidng clouds, the cloudband 'collar' designs & the swatika.. |
 |
|
Fig. 11. Line drawing of the primary motifs seen in "cloudband" Kazak rugs, derived from the swastika pattern. |
| The ornamentation of the yurt, manifested in the medium of felt, carries much of the design information seen in weavings and textiles from further east as well as west. Note the 'cloudband' motif which has become a staple of Chinese and Mongolian art as well as the representation of clouds, and the ubiquitous swastika motif. The swastika is an ancient symbol,often interpreted with celestial connotations, and viewed | by Hans Bidder as representing the heavens with the center of the swastika as the north star with the twisting arms of the motif symbolizing the movement of the constellations around that focal point. It is graphically portrayed in some weavings from the Caucasus,as in this example from the Karabagh region, situated just to the north of NW Persia. (Fig. 10, 11, 12) |
 |
|
Fig. 12. A "cloudband" Kazak rug from the Karabagh region of the Caucasus.with distinctive swirling swastika design. |
Fertility Symbols and Buddhist Influence in Design & Format
| Certain themes persist throughout the history of weaving. The concept of fertility is fundamental to the belief systems of these tribal peoples as propagation is essential to the survival of the family, clan and tribe. Depiction of this theme take on various | forms, sometimes as an abstract representational design or as in this instance, as a realistic form. The flowering vase ornament is one that is often seen in Central Asia, combining the ideas of fertility with water and floral growth. |
 |
|
Fig. 13. A wood carving dating to the 3rd-4th century CE, depicting a flower vase. From Niya, e. Turkestan, excavated by Sir Aurel Stein. |
| Plants in vases is a common theme in certain parts of Central Asia, especially in Chinese Turkestan as seen here in this 3rd to 4th century wood carving from Niya in Xinjiang, also | represented in carpets of the region as seen here as an overall pattern in this classic image of rug covering the field from one of the oasis weaving centers. (Fig. 13, 14, 15) |
 |
|
Fig. 14. Flowering vases with pomegranates, taken from an East Turkestan rug, circa 3rd quarter, 19th century |
| More rarely does is this same image appear in the context of the classic three medallion design format. The three medallion orientation is thought to be derived from Buddhist iconography with the central medallion | highlighted or drawn in a different manner to portray the Buddha flanked by attendants to either side. This style is seen in Tibetan pile weavings as well but rarely encountered in Chinese rugs. (Fig. 16, 17) |
 |
|
Fig. 15. The central medallion of a classic 3 medallion rug from Khotan, East Turkestan, circa 1850 |
 |
|
Fig. 16. A three medallion carpet from the Khotan Oasis, East Turkestan. The central medallion is drawn differently to represent the place where the Buddha would sit, flanked by attendants on either side, seated or standing on the minor medalllions. |
 |
|
Fig. 17. A carpet from Tibet, depicting the same theme of a central medallion significantly different from the two situated to either side. |
| The next group of photos depict a common theme in Central Asian weaving, that of a branching tree. As we have seen previously, trees can often be interpreted to be symbols of fertility, life as well as the afterlife (see Traces of Tree Worship in Anatolian Carpets). The first image (Fig. 18) is a line drawing of a seal originating from excavation sites in Turkestan. The second image (Fig. 19) depicts an early pile weaving currently | housed in the Urumchi Museum in East Turkestan. Apparently symmetrically knotted, the elements of the border are very much akin to the seal. Finally, we see a Tibetan rug (Fig. 20) with an identical motif, referred to in Tibetan rug literature as the "frogs foot" design, a name which has no apparent significance as there are NO frogs in Tibet! |
 |
|
Fig.18a. (Above) A seal from Gonur in present day Turkmenistan, depicting a branching tree (Philip L. Kohl, ed., The Bronze Age Civilization of Central Asia – Recent Soviet Discoveries, New York 1981. V.I. Sarianidi - Margiana in the Bronze Age p. 178) Fig.18b. (Below) Another seal from Gonur in present day Turkmenistan, depicting plant life or a branching tree (Philip L. Kohl, ed., The Bronze Age Civilization of Central Asia – Recent Soviet Discoveries, New York 1981, V.I. Sarianidi Seal-Amulets of the Margiana Style. p. 236)  |
 |
|
Fig. 19. An early pile weaving from Central Asia. 7th century CE. Note the element in the border, similar to the stone seal depicted above. |
 |
|
Fig. 20. A Tibetan rug with the ubiquitous "frog's foot" design, similar to both images seen above. |
The Big Cats - Tiger & Lion Imagery
| Fantastic beasts are represented throughout the various mediums of art in Asia, including painting and sculpture as well as rugs and textiles. The big cats, including tigers and lions, while known in Asia, assumed the status of a fantastic beast as well. In Chinese mythology, the tiger is associated with the west | and metallurgy. This fantastic embroidery dates to the approx. 200 BC, the early Han period, as does this next brocaded silk textile with both tiger stripes as well as the leopard or cheetah spots, another indication of the esteem in which all the big cats were held. (Fig. 21, 22) |
 |
|
Fig. 21. Detail of an early "Chinese" embroidery, circa 200 BCE - 200 CE. depicting an incredibly drawn tiger form. |
|
|
 |
|
Fig. 22. A Han period textile (200 BCE - 200CE) depicting stylized lion figures with spotted bodies. Note the deer to the right, with similarly drawn bodies.. |
| Often the use of the actual skins of these animals was reserved for those of elevated social status, a symbol of power and influence exercised throughout Central Asia. This photo (Fig. 23) depicts a Tibetan nobleman, wearing robes made of Chinese silk brocade, with religious paintings on the wall on behind him | and a leopard skin at his feet. The Tibetan tiger rug has proven to be a very popular design type within the genre, popular enough to inspire an entire book devoted to them. This rug is an especially dynamic example of the type, referred to in marketplace vernacular as “best of type”. (Fig. 24) |
 |
Fig. 23. A Tibetan nobleman seated with a leopard skin at his feet, a traditional accoutrement associated with men of power and prestige throughout Ancient Inner Asia. |
 |
|
Fig. 24. An incredible Tibetan rug woven with a design mimicking a tiger pelt. This is a particularly dynamic example of the type. |
| The lion image is, of course, old as well, as seen in this detail photograph of a felt from the Pazyryk excavation. The felt dates to the approximately the same period as the rug, circa 300 BCE. (Fig. 25) Later Chinese textiles (circa 200 BC depicts a complete lion image with a heavy mane and tail. This type of imagery persists throughout Chinese textile and rug traditions, as seen in this Ningshia rug dating to the late 17th century. (Fig. 26) | The spotted body is a strange attribute that seems to distinguish many of the fantastic beasts seen in Chinese mythology. Finally, we see an early Central Asian or Anatolian rug fragment (Fig. 27) with another "spotted" animal, a mythical beast that may be related to these images of the 'big cats' that occur in other textiles and rugs. |
 |
|
Fig. 25. Detail of a felt, depicting lion heads, excavated at Pazyryk, dating to approx. 300 BCE |
 |
|
Fig. 26. An early Chinese rug, circa 17th century(?), depicting a maned lion with the classic spotted body, a feature also seen in the early textile seen in Fig. 22. |
 |
|
Fig. 27. Detail of a fragment from an Anatolian (or possibly Central Asian) carpet depicting a highly stylized image of an animal figure, possibly some type of big cat. |
Mythical Beasts
|
Associated with this idea of fantastic beasts, the “chilin” is one that comes to mind and appears often in later rugs and textiles, late meaning from the Ming period onwards. (Fig. 28) I am unaware of earlier depictions of this beast who appears to
|
combine attributes of different animals, including the lion head and mane, horse's tail, the cloven hooves of a goat and a scaled reptilian or ophidian body. The “chilin” is considered auspicious or a symbol of good luck. |
 |
Fig. 28. The mythical beast, known as 'chilin' with a horses tail, the cloven hooves of a goat, a dragon head with a lion's mane. Note the reptilian, scaly drawing of the body. |
 |
Fig. 29. An important cotton textile from Central Asia. Note the body of the dragon in the lower border, the snake like reptilian nature of the body as well as the clearly Indo European figure seen in the compartment to the left. The vestiges of an animal design in the 'field' of this textile are also intriguing. This textile dates to the Han period, circa 200 BCE - 200CE |
| The reptilian body is also seen in the Chinese renditions of the persistent dragon motif. The dragon, in Chinese mythology is associated with the Emperor and regenerative waters or nurturing of the earth. Drawn with a scaly body, seen here is just a fragment of a cotton textile, probably unearthed in Central Asia | but claimed by the Chinese to be an “early Han Period” example of textile art. (Fig. 29) The Indo-European features of the human figure belie the origins of this piece as purely Central Asian, but the body is rendered in a similar style to this late 17th century Chinese silk brocade depicting a dragon cavorting in the clouds (Fig. 30) |
 |
|
Fig. 30. A K'ang Shi period (early 17th century) Chinese brocade depicting a dragon. Note the snake'like fluid drawing of the dragon's body. |
 |
|
Fig. 31. A throne back cover from Ningshia, circa 18th century, depicting a very fluidly drawn, extremely animated dragon |
| Seen in pile weavings as well, these next two images depict pile weavings from the 17th to 18th centuries, a classic lamaist throne back with a frontal image of a particularly animated reptilian dragon (Fig. 31) and a more classic floral or stylized drawing of a dragon medallion. (Fig. 32) This next photograph is a detail of a classical period, 17th - 18th century Caucasian rug | depicting two dragons confronting each other (Fig. 33), an image echoed in a Tibetan rug from the early 20th century (Fig. 34) The design orientation is strikingly similar, re-enforcing in our minds the persistence of similar mythology and depictions of that mythology throughout Asia. |
 |
Fig. 32. Another dragon form seen in Ningshia rug, the so-called foliate dragon medallion, extremely stylized and based upon much earlier design pool traditions. Circa 18th century |
 |
|
Fig. 33. Detail from an 18th century Caucasian "dragon" rug, depicting the confronting dragon theme seen in the Tibetan rug above |
 |
|
Fig. 34. Detail of a Tibetan rug, depicting confronting dragons grasping jewels in their claws. Early 20th century, Collection of Shirin & Giuseppe de Giosa |
| The griffin is another fantastic beast seen in early weavings, depicted in the borders of the Pazyryk rug, (Fig. 35) as well as depicted in this early white agate Bactrian period seal (Fig. 36). This composite creature, often depicted as winged cat or as winged creature with feline body and the head of an eagle, has been revered in many cultures from ancient Egypt, Assyria, Persia and Scythia. A symbol of strength, it is often regarded as | a guardian figure (as suggested by its appearance in the outermost border of the Pazyryk rug). Its other attributes include speed of flight and the penetrating vision of an eagle, combined with the strength and majesty of a lion (or another of the big cats). Its powers of protection also tranlate to its appearance as rhyton or vessel for holy waters, as the claws of the griffon are reputed to change colour in the presence of poison. |
 |
Fig. 35 Detail image from the Pazyryk carpet, showing griffins strategically situated as guardian symbol in the outermost border of the rug |
 |
|
Fig. 36. A griffin image seen in an ancient agate seal from Central Asia |
 |
|
An image of a stone seal from the Gonor excavation site, depicting a griffin (Philip L. Kohl, ed., The Bronze Age Civilization of Central Asia – Recent Soviet Discoveries, New York 1981, p. 178) |
Goddess Imagery
| Seen below is a drawing of a goddess image from the important Neolithic Period Anatolian site of Catal Huyoc. (Fig. 37) Goddess imagery is a common theme in ancient art, with evidence of priestess cults throughout Central Asia, and an elevated status of female personages as an essential textual element in the ancient belief systems of the past. Curiously, the Chinese mythology demeans the female aspects of the universe with the Empress symbolizing drought rather than a nurturing element as represented in most belief systems. This Tibetan throne | back is an extremely unusual and beautiful example of both Tibetan weaving and ancient symbology. (Fig. 38) The outlined form of the dragon bodies forms a goddess image with the offspring or jewel graphically portrayed moving through the birth canal. Seldom do we see such imagery so graphically portrayed, and such an image is unique in my experience. The use of dragons to portray the body of the goddess is consistent with the life giving nurturing qualities associated with this mythical beast. |
 |
|
Fig. 37. Anatolian image of the "goddess" figure enthroned, flanked by two large felines |
 |
Fig. 38. A Tibetan throne back cover, depciting two confronting dragon figures, wth the outline of the bodies depciting a 'goddess' image, complete with the jewel representing an infant moving through the birth canal. Circa 1st half, 19th century. Private Collection, Hawaiii, USA |
The Dragon & Phoenix in Confrontation
| The image of the dragon and phoenix together, either in opposition or simply confronting each other in the design pool of pile weaving is an extremely old and archaic concept. This first image depicts an early Anatolian weaving, circa 1400 AD, a well known image with a stylized dragon on the bottom with an | even more stylized phoenix above. (Fig. 39) The use of these dual images is well known in Tibet with these two beasts, representing the male/female (Emperor/Empress) or yin/yang aspects of life, cavorting with each other among the clouds. (Fig. 40) |
 |
|
Fig. 39. Detail image of well known dragon/phoenix carpet from Anatolia, circa 14th century. |
 |
Fig. 40. A Tibetan carpet depicting the ever popular dragon/phoenix design, a pattern that is ubiquitous in Tibetan pile weaving. Early 20th century, Collection of Shirin & Giuseppe de Giosa |
Bird Imagery in Textile Art
| Bird imagery is very important and prevalent throughout Central Asia. Our present day fascination with the heavens, with objects or animals in flight is great so one must imagine the awe with which celestial entities were regarded in ancient times. The | crane has always been regarded as a harbinger of good luck, a bearer of good fortune. This first image depicts a relic from the Pazyryk site in Central Asia (Fig. 41) while the next image is a Ming period silk textile with a similar image. (Fig. 42) |
 |
|
Fig. 41. A swan or crane textile, excavated from the Pazyryk archaeological site, Central Asia, circa 300 BCE |
 |
|
Fig. 342. A Chinese textile, Song Period (circa 11-12th century) depicting the ubiquitous crane image |
| More often depicted in the medium of silk, this very finely drawn, early Chinese wool weaving from the Textile Museum in Washington DC (Fig. 43) depicts a similar scene. The mythology of bird imagery is not confined to ancient Inner Asia and China, | but is also found in Central Asian and Anatolian weaving. We have already seen the phoenix image in an old Anatolian rug, but here we see two elaborately plumed and decorated birds confronting one another within an octagonal medallion or “gol”. (Fig. 44) |
 |
|
Fig. 43. An early Chinese pile weaving depicting a crane sitated in among lotus blossoms, 17th century, Textile Museum, Washington, DC |
 |
|
Fig. 44. Detail from a 15th century Anatolian carpet |
| Echoed in a later Turkmen weavings from Central Asia, again we see a bird inside an octagon. (Fig. 46) Often these birds are seen with what appears to be something almost akin to saddlery on their back, as if they are carriers of something or someone. (Fig. 47) Chinese art often depicts female images | astride cranes and mythology surrounding birds in Central Asia regards them as intermediaries between the earth and heavens, a means of communicating with greater forces from above which governs life on earth. |
 |
Fig. 45 Detail of a 15th century Anatolian carpet. Note the resemblance of these birds to those seen in some Baluch group weavings, minus the 'saddlery'(?) that is mounted on their backs. |
 |
|
Fig. 46. Detail of an "eagle group", Turkmen (Yomud group) kapunuk with birds situated within octagons. National Museum, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan |
 |
Fig. 47. Detail of a Tekke Turkmen bird asmalyk. Note the unusual running posture depicted here as well as the fact these birds, too, are bearing something on their backs. 18th century, Russian Ethographic Museum, St. Petersburg. |
|
The integration of myth and textile art over the past two millennium is rather dramatic, and I hope this presentation has
|
placed this aspect of art which we see nearly every day in a clearer perspective. |