jpweil00@gte.net
Christoph, have you opened Pandora's Box with your article? Favored
theories abound regarding the genesis of oriental rug designs. Your first
image, of an endless knot, struck me as similar to Celtic art. The Celtic
tribes ranged accross northern Europe at the same time the BMAC culture
was thriving. If you take a look at a Celtic Art web site, particularly
the bronze artifact section, at http://www.unc.edu/courses/art111/celtic/imagesindex.html
you will find several particularly interesting artifacts resembling the
Lur animal bronzes and your images. Image #216273 shows the familiar man
with upraised arms, similar to the man on the horse in one of the weavings
you show. This item was made app: 5th century BCE. Instead of being on a
horse, however, this gentleman is on a UNICYCLE! Did he ride his unicycle
down to Luristan? ![]() Image #216468 shows a
buckle with S shaped figures with horse heads at each end of the S. It
seems to be much finer work than the Luristan bronze work, but this
iconography was likely circulated "from time immemorial" among various
cultures. Image #216506 shows two animal heads opposed. Granted, these
tenuous connections between European and Oriental art can be considered
questionable, since as far as we know, the Celts did not weave rugs. On
the other hand, it might explain the Leprechaun I saw on a rug once.....
Patrick Weiler |