Paisley

Paisley or Paisley pattern is a droplet-shaped vegetable motif of Persian origin, similar to half of the Yin yang symbol. The pattern is sometimes called "Persian pickles" by American traditionalists, especially quiltmakers, or "Welsh pears" in Welsh textiles as far back as 1888. Resembling a large comma or twisted teardrop, the kidney-shaped paisley is Indian and Persian in origin, but its western name derives from the town of Paisley, in centra... more

Paisley or Paisley pattern is a droplet-shaped vegetable motif of Persian origin, similar to half of the Yin yang symbol. The pattern is sometimes called "Persian pickles" by American traditionalists, especially quiltmakers, or "Welsh pears" in Welsh textiles as far back as 1888. Resembling a large comma or twisted teardrop, the kidney-shaped paisley is Indian and Persian in origin, but its western name derives from the town of Paisley, in central Scotland. In Sanskrit the design is known as mankolam and has long been used in India. It resembles a mango and has sometimes been associated with Hinduism. In Tamil, ma means Mango and kolam means rangoli pattern, suggesting a possible Tamil origin for the Sanskrit word. Some design scholars call the distinct shape boteh and believe it is the convergence of a stylized floral spray and a cypress tree: a Zoroastrian symbol of life and eternity. A floral motif called buta, which originated in the Safavid Dynasty of Persia (from 1501 to 1736),... less