Velvet weaving (Makhmal-bafi)

Definition

A silk weaving technique producing a cut or voided pile on a foundation weave, used in Iran for garments, cushion covers and furnishing panels, with figured Safavid velvets among the most studied survivals.

History

Figured silk velvets are associated in the literature with Safavid court production, with Kashan often cited as a centre. Surviving fragments are dispersed across museum collections, and attributions to particular workshops or dates are frequently tentative.

Dates and attributions here summarise common scholarly positions and are under editorial review; they are not definitive.

Technique

Velvet weaving requires a drawloom or similar figure-harness loom plus rods inserted beneath extra pile warps; cutting the loops over the rods produces the pile, while areas left uncut or woven flat create voided patterns and grounds sometimes wrapped with metal thread.

Collecting and identification

Pile direction, cut-versus-voided areas, metal-thread grounds and the loom width all help specialists compare pieces; wear commonly removes pile and exposes the foundation weave.

This guidance is educational only and is not an authentication or valuation service.

Reference samples

The reference samples on this page are documented objects in public collections, shown with their holding institution's attribution and licence. They illustrate the craft and are not for sale.

گالری

تصاویر نمونه‌هایی معرف هستند، نه سندی برای رکوردهای نمونهٔ بازارچه. منبع و وضعیت مجوز آن‌ها در بخش اعتبارهای عکاسی آمده است.

بازارچه

در حال حاضر هیچ شیئی از این صنعت فهرست نشده است.

دانش مرتبط

منابع و مآخذ

• Book: Wulff, H. E. The Traditional Crafts of Persia. MIT Press, 1966.
• Museum catalogue: Cleveland Museum of Art, Open Access collection records for Iranian objects (accessed 2026-09-24).

در جایی که خاستگاه، تاریخ یا نمادشناسی محل مناقشه است، این مدخل روایت‌های رقیب را بیان می‌کند نه اینکه میان آن‌ها یکی را برگزیند. تحلیل سردبیری به‌عنوان واقعیتِ مستند ارائه نمی‌شود.