Posted by Tom Cole on November 17, 1998 at 22:35:01:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: South Persian Art posted by Yon Bard on November 17, 1998 at 08:17:18:
: I think the term 'fear of vaccuum' is just a picturesque way of describing a tendency towards clutter; there is no implication of a psychological 'theory' or the existence of an actual fear. One should not read literal meanings into turns of phrase.
: As for rejection of 'tribe' as a useful classification concept, I think we are going overboard here (deconstructionism is fashionable these days!). After all, we instantly recognize a Tekke or Yomud 95% of the time. If the distinctions between tribes that have settled in close proximity to each other become blurred, that is no reason to toss out the concept entirely.
: Regards, Yon
Yon - No, we do not have to throw out "the baby with the bath water" in most cases, but at times (and not meaning to sound like a deconstructionist nor being fashionable), it is better to deal with some weavings from a geographical standpoint. Take for example the Yomud, there are many groups of Yomud peoples who have distinct tribal names and inhabit different locales. Varied palettes are evident, a product of provenance (geography) rather than attribution (tribal name). The Persian tribes, too, are a muddle in my mind. Perhaps Daniel's example is froma different area as he notes the palette is so much livlier than most Khamseh pieces we see and have identified as such. As for judging the aesthetic, it is not nearly as crowded as some Khamseh rugs are. On the other hand, I have somehow always preferred Afshar rugs among those coming from the S. Persian tribal groups. They will sometimes have the spacing Marvin is looking for and will also depict classic Turkic themes. But that is my subjective response to visual stimuli. On the other hand, I find this Khamseh to be an extraordinary example of its type. I know more than a few people who would love to have this rug in their home.