Tablecloth?

Many people use a cloth on top of their tables. A tablecloth is an excellent way to change the look of a table, or to protect it from stains and damage. However, not everyone’s tablecloth will have a deeper, more interesting story behind it.

Funnily enough, the owner of this cloth did not even realize that her object tells a very interesting story. When we asked her about the kind of objects she brought with her, she said that she did not have anything special. A panda doll and a bottle were shown at first, but our eyes immediately fell on this cloth. Where did she get it from, and why does she have such a Persian cloth in her house?

“A friend that studied in Iran invited me over, and I went to visit her for two weeks. When I was there, I picked up this cloth, which I then brought back to China. I decided to take it with me to the Netherlands when I moved here to study for my PhD.”

Persian textiles are very popular around the world, especially carpets. Persian carpets have been beloved at home and abroad for many ages.https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20171206-the-timeless-appeal-of-the-persian-rug These objects tell incredible stories themselves and can be seen in many museums, but new carpets are also being handcrafted and sold around the globe.

Though this small cloth is not the same, it also depicts a persian design, decorated with the design of the Farahavar, a famous symbol of Zoroastrianism.https://www.history.com/topics/religion/zoroastrianism Besides, it also seems to be decorated with a design that resembles the Persian king Darius I (550-486 BCE) with his son Xerxes I (519-465 BCE) receiving visitors in his capital Persepolis. The creator of the cloth likely took inspiration from the Bas-reliefs there.https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Darius-I-and-Xerxes-I-giving-audience-Stone-relief-from-Persepolis-National-Museum-of_fig1_340110617

This cloth not only tells us the story that is displayed on it, but also stories about its background and fabrication process. Moreover, since the day it was sold, it has been accompanying its owner to different places and is collecting even more stories. In this way, this object can tell a multitude of stories about its production, its cultural significance, its owner, and its own journey across the world.

You might not be aware of what the objects on your table tell you about the world we live in. Sometimes the objects surrounding you right now tell a very interesting story. They might not be in a museum, but objects we use in everyday life also tell us much about the human interaction we have with them, as explained by Fresco Sam-Sin:

“Things — the objects, tools, and artifacts of everyday life — are the material expression of human experience. Without them, we would lose track of what makes us who we are.”https://thingsthattalk.net/en/about

Take a look at what is around you, and perhaps you will feel more connected to the objects in your room than ever before.