The World Craft City of Meybod for handwoven wool rug (Zilou)
Weaving and textiles are some of the most indigenous Iranian arts and have a long history of thousands of years; From the famous carpet of the Achaemenid period, Pazirk to the luxurious fabrics of the Sassanid era or the weavings of the Seljuk period and all kinds of unique fabrics and carpets of the Safavid era, which is the glorious peak and the golden age of textiles and weaving in Iran, all show valuable and long life.
Art is in the life of Iranians. Handwoven Persian Carpet (Zilou) is one of the famous ones.
Handwoven Zilou is one of the oldest types of carpet in Iran and has been woven in Meybod (55KM to Yazd) from many years ago. It was the carpet of Iranians not so long ago and was exported from Meybod to many cities of Iran also neighbouring countries. But Zilou was obsoleted by the emersion of machine woven and synthetic fibre carpet.
However, Handwoven Zilou has unique characteristics compared to other types of Iranian handmade carpets. Zilou is herbal and it has some important characteristics which are so advantageous for the human environment and health.
*Buy online Persian zilou*
Other Iranian handmade carpets, which are woven of wool rug or handwoven Persian carpet ( Zilou ) are completely herbal. Its yarns are made of cotton and its colours are achieved from herbs, for example:
Red is achieved from madder, poppy and cherry- Blue is achieved from indigo
- Yellow is achieved from saffron, turmeric and pomegranate peel
- Brown is achieved from tobacco, walnut, green peel and music leaves
Red is achieved from madder, poppy and cherryBecause of cotton and these herbs, Zilou is called a “health carpet”. Some of the main characteristics of Zilou which have made it famous as a “health carpet” are as follows:
It does not cause static electricity
What is static electricity?
The researchers have found that electric charges which are produced while flowing in nerves, store in body texture. So, the magnetic field around these electric charges causes some disorders in the body field. These charges will be stored in parts with a high density of nerves and it is harmful to the body because of high density and also neighbouring with main nerves. However, according to test results, there is no electric charge in Zilou and its static electricity is zero. Therefore, it is the best and the most healthy carpet for use in houses and environments.
Zilou does not produce aerosols
Handwoven Zilou does not have lint, so it does not produce aerosols. Physicians insist on using it for children, elders and the ones with respiratory disease.
Zilou doesn’t cause skin allergy
The use of Handwoven Zilou for a long time doesn’t cause skin allergy. As its yarns are made of herbs, and cellulose materials and are completely natural, it doesn’t cause skin allergy and it has been recommended for the ones with skin allergy.
Zilou has been inherited
It is a long-lasting Persian carpet because of its texture, and its yarns are so durable. Now there are many ancient Zilou in the Meybod archaic Zilou museum. The oldest one belongs to the 1386 ad.
Zilou is recyclable
After many years of using Zilou, when it is rotten, it can be buried as fertilizer because of its cellulosic yarns. Many years ago, people buried their rotten Zilou in farms and fertilised them through it.
Zilou doesn’t slide on a flat surface (it is stable on flat surfaces)
Despite other carpets which slide over ceramic or flat surfaces, Zilou is stable and doesn’t slide.
the handwoven wool rug has various motifs
One characteristic of Zilou is its various motifs, there are more than two hundred patterns that can be woven and they belong to ancient Persia. For example, the cypress pattern is the symbol of the holy tree in Mithra ism (Iranians worshipped Mithra before Zoroaster).
Zilou-weaving:
The common weavers of Zilou are men. In past, only men wove Zilou because its device was very big and its weaving was so hard and needed lots of strength and energy, however, today women also weave Zilou in a smaller size. In addition to the fact that weaving Zilou is a traditional handcraft, it is also hard to exercise, because the weavers should move along the width of Zilou for each time of passing weft.
He should also pull down the handle which is above his head, with a wooden hook. This is like pulling down a barbell with 30 or 50 KG weight. So, the Zilou-weaver should move about 13 kilometres along the width for weaving a six-meter Zilou and also lift more than 1400 kg. Therefore, they are generally healthy and strong.
