Brocade weaving (Zari-bafi)

Definition

A figured silk weaving technique in which supplementary wefts, often including gold- or silver-wrapped thread, create pictorial or floral designs on a silk ground.

History

Brocaded silks with figures, flowering plants and inscriptions are among the celebrated textiles attributed to Safavid Iran. Small revival workshops operate today, and the craft is widely described as rare.

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

Technique

Designs are programmed into a figure harness so that selected supplementary wefts rise to the face in each pass; metal thread is typically a thin strip of gilded or silvered metal wound around a silk core.

Collecting and identification

Examine the thread structure, tarnish of metal thread, repeat layout and reverse face; many historical pieces survive only as fragments or cut-down panels.

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.