Afshan

These earrings draw inspiration from Afshan compositions. While these patterns are prevalent in architecture, book design, embroidery, and other decorative arts, they truly shine in carpets. Notable carpet styles featuring Afshan compositions include Khila-Afshan (Baku, Azerbaijan), Bijar (Georgia), Herat (Afghanistan), among others. Afshans are renowned for being some of the most exquisite and accomplished carpet designs. The ornamental elements in these earrings are inspired by the mid-ground patterns of Afshan rugs, featuring spiraling tree branches known as bichek. These spirals are adorned with small to medium-sized elements typical of Afshans. Both simple and complex spirals culminate in an element called sonluq, which resembles a fish. As such, Azerbaijani and Iranian carpet-makers refer to it as baliq or mahi, meaning ‘fish’ in Azerbaijani and Persian.