Terminology

Glossary

واژه‌نامه

Persian craft vocabulary with its script, a transliteration and a short definition. Trade terms such as knot counts are used differently from one market to another, and the definitions say so.

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24 terms

Boteh (paisley)بته: Teardrop-shaped motif with a curled tip. Interpretations (cypress, flame, leaf) differ and none is established.; Termeh Persian carpet see: termeh
Gabbehگبه: A thick, long-piled rug with simple designs, associated with nomadic and village weavers of Fars.; Gabbeh see: qāli
Kilim (flatweave)گلیم: A flatwoven textile with no pile, in which coloured wefts form the design.; Persian carpet see: jājim see: qāli
Knotگره: The unit of pile in a carpet. Weavers and dealers use knot counts (raj or per square unit) as one measure of fineness, not of quality alone.; Persian carpet Tabriz carpet see: raj see: qāli
Gereh-chini (geometric lattice)گره‌چینی: Wooden lattice built from interlocking geometric pieces, used in doors, windows and ceilings.; Khatamkari see: khātam
Seven-colour tileهفت‌رنگ: Tile technique in which several glaze colours are painted on one square tile and fired together; widely used on Safavid and later buildings.; Haft-rang tilework see: moʿarraq see: kāshi
Jajimجاجیم: A light warp-faced flatweave, often woven in narrow strips and sewn together; used as covers and bedding.; see: gelim
Glazed tileکاشی: General term for glazed ceramic tile, used both for architecture and decorative panels.; Haft-rang tilework see: haft-rang
Khatam (micro-mosaic inlay)خاتم: Inlay built from bundled rods of wood, bone and metal cut into thin slices and laid in geometric star patterns over a wooden carcass.; Khatamkari see: moʿarraq see: gereh-chini
Copperمس: Metal widely used for vessels and engraved ware; often tinned inside for food use.; Qalam-zani see: qalam-zani
Album (muraqqa)مرقع: A bound album assembling paintings and calligraphy specimens, often from different hands.; Persian miniature Nasta'liq calligraphy see: tazhib
Moarraq (cut-piece inlay)معرق: Mosaic technique in which separately cut pieces of wood or glazed tile are fitted together to form a design, as opposed to painting it on one surface.; Haft-rang tilework Khatamkari see: khātam see: haft-rang
Nastaliq scriptنستعلیق: A calligraphic script with sloping lines and long horizontal strokes, the classic hand of Persian poetry.; Nasta'liq calligraphy see: shekasteh see: qalam
Persian painting (miniature)نگارگری: Painting tradition of manuscripts and albums, commonly called Persian miniature in English.; Persian miniature see: tazhib see: moraqqaʿ
Master (ostad)استاد: Title given to a master craftsperson who trains apprentices (shāgerd).; see: shāgerd
Reed penقلم: Cut reed pen used for calligraphy; the angle of the cut shapes the stroke. The same word means chisel in metalwork.; Nasta'liq calligraphy Qalam-zani see: nastaʿliq
Qalam-zani (metal engraving)قلمزنی: Chasing and engraving of copper, brass or silver with small chisels and a hammer.; Qalam-zani see: mes
Pile carpetقالی: A hand-knotted pile carpet, usually larger than a rug (qālicheh).; Persian carpet Tabriz carpet see: qālicheh see: gereh see: gelim
Rugقالیچه: A smaller hand-knotted pile rug; the diminutive of qāli.; Persian carpet see: qāli
Raj (knot row count)رج: Trade measure of knot density, counted as rows of knots over a set length (commonly 7 cm). Definitions vary between markets.; Tabriz carpet see: gereh
Apprenticeشاگرد: Apprentice learning a craft in a master's workshop.; see: ostād
Shekasteh scriptشکسته: A faster, more connected script that developed from nastaliq.; Nasta'liq calligraphy see: nastaʿliq
Illuminationتذهیب: Gold and colour ornament on manuscript pages, borders and headings.; Persian miniature Nasta'liq calligraphy see: negārgari
Termehترمه: A patterned woven cloth traditionally of wool or silk, associated especially with Yazd.; Termeh see: boteh

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