Mina-Khani Birds of Paradise

There was a time when the design of an Oriental rug told, with some degree of certainty, the country and city, the village or district where the rugs were woven. That is only partially true today. Persian, Oriental and Indo cultures love gardens. It is their Paradise. Many Persian, Oriental and Indian rugs showcase gardens. They depict many types of flowers and trees even hedged in with borders. Some may represent orchards and fields of flowers. Birds and animals are often found in their carpets. Many flowers we can recognize as tulip, rose, narcissus, flower of henna, pinks and many others. The rosette, which is used so much in borders of Persian rugs, is believed by some to represent the "Star of Bethlehem? or Persian flower. Birds are symbolic of the miracle of flight and the potential for freedom from our human boundaries, indicating the possibility to see from a greater perspective. They also symbolize man's innate striving for freedom of consciousness and the boundless joy of the heart.