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Reading and compre
Here is an article about aform of art that ori,ginated,
i,n the Mi,ddle East. Read the article. Then do Numbers
through 15.
I
Ferslan Carpets
Have you ever thought of a carpet as a work of art? If not, think about
this: The most famous ar[ form in Iran today is probably the Persian carpet.
The history of Iran goes back about 4,000 years.
until
this ancient
land was known as Persia. The name Iran comes from the flrst people to
settle the land, the Aryans of India. In 549 e.c., the Persian king Cyms the
Great founded the Persian Empire. It soon became the largest empire in the
world. Then, in 333 B.c., Alexander the Great, of Macedonia, conquered the
vast empire. The Persians reclaimed their land a century lateq only to lose it
to the Arabs in a.n. 637. The Arabs introduced the religion of Islam to Persia,
which has had a tremendous effect on the Persian culture. Later, the Mongols
and the Tirrks also ruled Persia before the Persians returned to power in the
early 1500s.
Despite the constant change in rule through the centuries, the arts of
1g35,
Persia blossomed. The most well known of these art forms is the Persian
carpet. These beautifully designed carpets have been important to Iranians at
all levels of society. In the days of royalfi rulers would sit on a throne fitted
with a fine Persian carpet. If they met with guests outdoors, everyone would
sit on carpets placed directly on the ground. Ordinary people, too, covered
their floors with Persian carpets to provide a comfortable place to sit, lcreel
in prayeE serve food, and sleep. They also hung carpets on their walls for
warmth and decoration. Even the nomads, who wandered from place to
place, used carpets in their tents to cushion the hard ground and keep out
the cold.
q
31
Ca on to next page
Carpet weaving is done throughout Iran, with each region having its own
particular style of work. Iranian weavers mostly use wool, cotton, and silk
fibers to make Persian carpets. Tbaditionally, the weavers work on a simple
upright loom, using the "lmotted-pile" method. In a flat weave, the crosswise
weft threads simply pass over and under the lengthwise warp threads, row
after row. Persian carpets, however, have a raised surface, called the pile.
The weaver forms the pile by inserting a row of lcrotted threads between
rows of weft threads, as shown in the picture below. Each knot can be a
different color to create the carpet's pattern. There are several types of lcrots,
which are named after the group of people who first used them. There are,
for example, the Ttrrkish knot
and the Persian lcrot. The
Persian knot produces a soft,
Persian knot
thick piie that is as smooth
as velvet.
Persian carpets are as
weft thread
famous for their rich colors as
for their elaborate designs. In
the past, the colors came from
natural dyes. Blues came from
the indigo plant, and reds came
from the madder plant. The
crushed bodies of certain insects made purples. Nowadays, the carpet makers
prefer chemical dyes. They are cheaper, easier to use, and come in a wider
variety of colors.
The golden age of Persian carpets began in the late sixteenth century.
At that time, Shah Abbas I ruled Persia. Shah Abbas decided to turn the Persian
cities into places of beauty. He hired the best architects and artists in all of
Persia to work for him. Developing the art of carpet weaving especlally
interested Shah Abbas. Court artists created beautiful designs for the carpet
weavers, many of whom were slaves, to copy and weave into their rugs.
These designs included flowers, birds, wild animals, and human figures.
The most famous rug of this period is the Ardebil Carpet. This silk rug
was created as an offering to an ancestor of Shah Abbas. It was placed in
a mosque, an Islamic house of worship, in northwestern Persia. The Ardebil
Carpet is like a woven garden. Palm leaves, flower blossoms, and twisting
stems cover its deep blue background.
32
"ryf
Cs on to next page
The Ardebil carpet is one of the few rugs to be signed and dated by the
wea\-er. It reads as follows: The work of the slave of the holy place, Maqsud
of Kashan, in the year 1540. Kashan was then an imporlant center of carpet
weaving. Isfahan and Tabriz were also famous for their carpets.
The world's great museums display many of the finest Persian carpets.
The Ardebil Carpet, for example, is now on exhibit at the Victoria and Alber[
Museum in London, England. In Tehran, Iranians can visit the Museh Farsh,
a museum devoted
entirely to the art of carpet making. There is even a loom
set up so that visitors can try weaving a bit of carpet themselves. Expert
weavers are often on hand to demonstrate their skills.
Private collectors from other
countries also seek out the beautiful
handwoven mgs. They are willing
to pay very high prices for the best
ca4rets. Like other works of art,
no two Persian carpets are exactly
alike. Weavers may use the
traditional designs of their
region, but there is always
room for individual expression.
33
w
6s $n fc /rexf pagt$
1.
@
@
@
@
2.
6. How is the Ardebil
Carpet different
from other carpets?
Which of these is also an appropriate title
for the article?
@ It was created by a slave.
@ It has an elaborate design.
O It is was made entirely by hand.
@ It was signed and dated by the weaver.
"Unusual Att Forms"
"How Carpets Are Made"
"Unique Works of Art"
"The Tale of the Persian Carpet"
7. Which
According to the article, what had the most
effect on the Persian culture?
of these events occurred flrst?
@ The Thrks ruled Persia.
@ Shah Abbas I ruled Persia.
O Alexanderthe Greatconquered
@ the constant change in rule
@ the leadership of Shah Abbas I
O the conquering of the Persian Empire
the Persian Empire.
@
by Alexander the Great
@ the introduction of the religion
The Persians lost their land
to the Arabs.
of Islam
8. Look at the picture on page 32.
3.
What label is missing from the graphic?
What is the purpose of the second
paragraph?
@ raised surface
@ Ttrrkish knot
O warp thread
@ knottedthreads
@ to provide a brief history of Persia
@ to describe the first people of Persia
@ to explain how the Mongols and
the Tirrks invaded Persia
O
4.
Purple dye was once made from
@ chemicals.
@ plants.
O insects.
@ leaves.
The article states that the golden age of
Persian carpets began in the late sixteenth
century. Which of these is the best meaning
of the words golden age?
@
@
O
@
5.
9.
to explain how the Persians returned
to power
10. Which of theses states afact?
"a time of stable rule"
@ The finest carpets are Persian carpets.
@ The Ardebil Carpet is the most
"an arlistic achievement"
"a period of progress and prosperity"
"an honored cultural tradition"
@
Which of these is a simile?
@
@ was known as Persia
@ as smooth as velvet
O a carpet as a work of art
@ as for their elaborate designs
34
beautiful mg ever woven.
Persian carpets are worth their
expensive price.
Designs for carpet weavers were often
created by court artists.
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11. You can generalize that
14. From the article, you can tell that
@ all woven carpets are an art form.
@ the best architects and artists are
O
@
from Persia.
carpets woven long ago are less
expensive than those woven today.
carpet weavers of long ago had
to have some artistic ability.
12. Which idea from the article supports
your answer to Number 11?
@ They are cheaper. .
@ The most famous art form . .
O . . . to copy and weave into their rugs.
@ . . . marry of the finest Persian carpets.
.
.
13. You would most likely find this article in
@
each region of Iran weaves a similar
style of mg.
@
ShahAbbas I had a greatinfluence
on the arts of Persia.
O
Persia's arts were often ignored
by its rulers.
@
only the most elaborate Persian mgs
have a raised surface.
15. If you wanted to learn more about the
history of Persia, which of these resources
would be most useful?
@
@
O
@
"A Guide to Iran"
"The Life of Shah Abbas I"
"Persia, Past and Present"
"The History of Persian Carpets"
@ an encyclopedia.
@ a daily newspaper.
O asciencebook.
@ a social studies text.
16. Think about the article you have read. Then think about a famous painting with which you are
familiar. On the lines below, describe how a Persian carpet is similar to this work of art.