TEHRAN (IFP) -- Ikat (Daraee, Persian word for asset) is one of the beautiful and unique hand-woven fabrics produced in the Iranian city of Yazd. The industry is known as Ikat weaving. They make the fabric using natural silk and very beautiful geometric designs and pictures.
Ikat weaving (Daraee bafi) dates back 800 years. It was a fabric that was produced using silk and natural colors. Some believe that it is called Daraee because in the past, Ikat was considered as an asset in the dowry of every bride.
Others believe the reason why it was called Daraee was that only the rich and the powerful could afford to buy the fabric.
The pictures used in Ikat are known as Chalipa in the traditional Persian art in which they have been used for thousands of years.
Examples of the famous patterns and pictures include mono-flower, quadro-flower and checkered design.
Ikat is a Malayan word meaning “to knot” and “to dye”.
It was an old technique for weaving patterned fabrics. In this technique, the fabric’s threads are dyed before weaving. This technique was in vogue in a number of countries in the world.
The Ajunta wall paintings that were drawn in northwest India some 50 years ago show women wearing garments with Ikat pictures.
The absence of any other proof makes it difficult to determine the exact date of the weaving of the garments and makes it impossible to track the development of techniques and influence of foreign patterns.
Ikat was woven in Latin American countries from Mexico to Peru. This is while this weaving method was tracked down in most of the lands falling within the Islamic realm from Madagascar to Spain and from India to West Africa.
This method has existed in Iran since a long time ago in various regions such as Yazd, Kashan, Azarbaijan, Khuzestan, Tabriz and Gilan.
However, the technique is concentrated more than any other area in the traditional workshops of Yazd.