A CROSS-CULTURAL STUDY OF MOTIF SEMIOTICS IN IRANIAN QASHQAI AND SERBIAN PIROT KILIMS

Abstract

Kilims, while primarily functional as floor coverings, hold deep cultural, artistic, and aesthetic significance. The design, patterns, and motifs on these traditional woven floor coverings, in addition to their beauty and artistic features, reflect beliefs, myths, and cultural heritage, preserving the community’s identity across generations. This paper aims to review the rich tradition of kilim weaving and study the motifs, symbols, and patterns found within the kilims of Qashqai nomads in Iran and those of the Pirot region in Serbia. This research employs a cultural semiotics framework, based on “The Theory of Semiotics,” to analyze and compare placements, types and connotative meanings of motifs within these two regions. The research adopts a descriptive-analytical methodology, involving developing a corpus (database) of motifs from sample kilims. To set up the corpus, a random sample of 80 kilim photos was gathered, mainly from catalogs and books, consisting of 40 images of Qashqai kilims and 40 images of Pirot kilims. Each kilim was reviewed to detect motifs using an annotation model. A tagset of motifs was then developed to classify and annotate each motif based on its region, placement, type, connotative meanings, and thematic categories. The corpus reports support various forms of analysis, including statistical, descriptive, and comparative assessments. The findings indicate that while Qashqai and Pirot kilims feature some common motifs, the symbolic and semiotic meanings linked to these motifs differ significantly, reflecting unique ways of understanding within each cultural context. The comparative analysis of motifs also indicates cultural similarities and differences rooted in each region’s unique beliefs, customs, and myths. The research is divided into four sections: the first provides an introduction to the tradition of kilim weaving, focusing on practices among the Qashqai tribes of Iran and the Pirot region of Serbia; the second outlines the theoretical framework and research methodology; the third discusses the motif classification, annotation schema, and development of the tagset; and the final section presents a comparative analysis of motifs and their representations in kilims from each region. By identifying, classifying and analyzing kilim motifs as a visual language that reflects cultural identity, historical continuity, and regional distinctions, this study aims to contribute to the broader field of cultural studies in general and cultural semiotics in particular.