Universal designs (Tree-of-life)

(Posted on 03/04/14)

Tree-of-life designs are based on one of the oldest and most universal of all religious and mythological symbols, pre-dating both Islam and Christianity.  References to a 'tree of life' as the connecting link between the human and heavenly worlds are found in diverse cultures throughout Europe, Asia Minor and the Orient.  In Islam, it symbolizes the bridge between Paradise, the world of men the world below, and still retains a religious significance that is no longer evident in the West.  It is usually used in conjunction with a garden, vase or prayer-rug design.  Several workshop groups in Persia, Anatolia, India, and Pakistan produce extremely intricate and naturalistic interpretations of this scheme, and more stylized, geometric versions are found on a number of village and nomadic items from Persia and Afghanistan.  It is also a popular field decoration on Belouch prayer rugs.

                                                                                   (Tree-of-life design rug)