Mysterious patterns of the East: the identification of the ancient "brand" - out of time, but in fashion
August 07, 2017 | 10:42 |309
In Ivanovo, the textile capital of Russia, balcony gardening is gaining popularity, which is very relevant in the conditions of this completely unfriendly moderate climate summer. The vegetables grown are not only habitual, but sometimes also extremely unusual. "Oriental cucumbers", for example. I already saw them somehow from colleagues in Turkmenistan, who brought fruits from travel. But, neither I, nor they did not know that these plants have such an ancient history. I learned the details by finding myself in the only museum of calico in the world in Ivanovo.Leonid KIYASHKO, journalist. Ivanovo, Russian Federation.
Here, much is known about one of the most revered patterns in the East. The artists, who created them, we inspired by the fruits of a plant known as Momordica. It should be noted that these ornaments adorn not only on the famous Ivanovo calico, but also on the shawls with which the Turkmen are so proud.
"Calico cucumbers", as they are called in Ivanovo, come from warm lands. They are called Indian, as well as Turkish, given the changing geography of the distribution of tissue patterns. In Russia, by the way, the "cotton calico" came from the Ottoman Empire, founded by Osman I - the son of the Turkmen khan Ertogrul.
The Ivanovo factory owners actively traded with the East, from where the traditional Asian ornament came to the Russian land. Most often, the birthplace of the picture, which can be considered one of the oldest and at the same time completely beyond the control of time, is called Iran and Front Asia. This happened, most likely, in the time of the Sassanid state, which included southern Turkmenistan in the III-VII centuries.
According to another version, the pattern was born back in the time of Zoroastrianism, which originated in the territory of present-day Turkmenistan in the state of Margush, as evidenced by the research of the outstanding archeologist V.I. Sarianidi. Much later, the drop-shaped pattern began to be called "the tear of Allah", preserving the echo of the cult significance.
The very word "Bouta" in Sanskrit means "fire." It is possible that during the rituals of fire worshipers this plant was burned in the temples of worshipers of the goddess Anahit, Mitra and later - Ahura-Mazda.
The motif of Bouta is common among many peoples of the East. It takes a special place in the national ornament of the Azerbaijani people, symbolizing the flames. This motif is found among Azerbaijanis everywhere - in textiles, carpets, works of decorative and applied art, architectural decor. In Baku there is a concert hall "Bouta Palace", the facade of which is decorated by a drop-shaped pattern.
The Russian explorer Afanasy Nikitin, in his book "The Journey of the Three Seas" (one of which was the Caspian Sea), refers to this "eastern cucumber", describing this fruit as "outlandish, long and tastefully good."
About three centuries ago exquisite cashmere shawls and silk fabrics with a "cucumber" pattern were brought from the East to Europe. Such products were considered a luxury item, and the manufacturers began to replicate the fashionable ornament. The leading fabric manufacture with such a pattern was in the Scottish city of Paisley, from which the European name of the drawing came. Print "paisley" today you can see at the shows of "oriental" collections of world famous designers. It looks great on branded neckties and biker bandanas.
And here's what the local historians write about the plant itself, which gave birth to so many pattern variations: "What is its attractive feature? First of all, it is the unpretentiousness.
... Planted under the apple tree, it rises to the very top. And near the fence, it flaunts it with luxurious greenery and fascinates with large, pale cream flowers, as beautiful as a smile. Usually, flowers bloom in the evening and wilt in the morning. Placed in a room, it rises to the top of the window in a short time and covers it with a translucent emerald curtain."
Today amateur gardeners with pleasure cultivate decorative varieties of Indian cucumber on window sills, balconies and in greenhouses.
