Nowadays, the production and sale of kilims in the Sirjan and its suburbs, beyond Patteh and Carpet of Kerman, are at the forefront of Kerman province’s handicrafts export commodities. According to a research, which was carried out on the most important handicrafts and traditional arts of Sirjan, the experts have concluded that Shiriki-pich Kilim and Kilim-carpets are the best and most popular Sirjan handwoven types of handicrafts.On the otherhand, Sirjan is the main market for Carpets, Kilims and other types of hand-woven rugs made by nomadic tribes and rural manufacturers of Kerman province; in other words, the city is most famous for the
production and distribution of the Afshari’s hand-woven rugs and Kilims.
Shiriki-pich Term
Shiriki-pich consists of a combination of two words: Shiriki/shared-work and “Pich” that based on a field research, each section contains a separate argument. The name “Pich” is derived from the warped fabric of this Kilim and is the name used to describe this technique in the past and nowadays, the Pich/ weft or the extension in the term is being used for other types such as Kilim-pich, Kshk-dan-pich, Ghashogh-dan-pich, etc.in the dialect of the region’s nomads, “Shiriki” is also used from the concept of partnership (Turkish term used by Afshars for partners) and from the working of partners/ joint work. Generally, in recent decades and after the commercial function of Sirjan’s Kilims (in the past, these handicrafts were woven only for domestic and regional consumption), and change in sizes and prevalence of stipend-weaving, a weaver or a family was involved in orther to weave a single kilim. However, some believe that Shirik is derived from twisting of a warp around two wefts because in Shiriki-pich weaving is made by twisting two color threads (Khaameh) around two warps but this is not a reasonable belief as in carpet weaving also colored threads twist around two warps.
History of Shiriki-pich Kilim
There is no accurate information on the origin and history of this technique in Kerman, but it is believed that this technique was applied in the tribal areas of Kerman with the exile and exodus of Turkish tribes; Afshar and Bochaghchi; And its texture is the way that most of the Caucasian kilims, especially the South Caucasus, and Asia Minor are woven.
As noted, there is no precise documentation or information on the textural history of the technique, but the “twistedweave cotton fabrics were discovered in Switzerland, dating back to 2000 BC. So it can be said that in those days they used this kind of texture. Remainings of some twistedweave ancient fabrics were also found in Peru, Egypt, and Iran.” (Hall, Wyhowska, 1377, 55) In Kerman region, according to evidence, this technique was stablished by Turkish tribes that were so prevalent in the region so its texture “is the way most Caucasian and Minor Asian needleworks are made, and the Turkish word is” Somakh“, which is apparently attributed to the Caucasian city “Shumakhi”. (Parham, 1371, 91). Afshars and Bochaghchis who were scattered in Kerman
are two branches of Turkish ethnicity in various regions, including the Caucasus and Asia Minor and they have been in the territory of Kerman province for a long time and have entered Kerman province and dispersed in Baft, Sirjan, Orzueiyeh and Bardsir. Afshars have been in Kerman for many years, but the earliest known period of entry of these tribes is the Safavid era.
As mentioned earlier, Afshar and Bochaghchi are the most important heirs of this type of kilim weaving in Sirjan. Therefore the history of thistechnique in Kerman province and Sirjan region goes back to the Safavid era