Universal love for Buta aka Paisley: a cross-cultural ornamental symbol
More often than not, at first sight, we look for similarities and differences during our first interaction with someone. We look for signs of cultural likeness straightaway. Introductions to new things are exotic and thrilling; greeting something familiar sparks an instant warmth and lands us in the comfort zone. Buta aka the Paisley ornament, looks exotic yet so familiar to our eyes in the shape of an almond or twisted teardrop with a sharp-curved upper end. It is that seemingly little detail, a pattern, that is a frontrunner of cross-cultural communication of symbols.
Buta — a symbol of divine fire worshipped in Azerbaijan since ancient times of Zoroastrianism — is perceived today as one of the ornamental symbols of the Near East. The word “Buta” in Sanskrit means — “Fire” (Bute — puta — buta).
Known as Paisley in Europe, Buta first attracted the British in the 19th century. This attraction was followed by imports of shawls with a Buta pattern from Kashmir and Persia by a trading giant of the time: British East India Company. In Europe, oriental shawls with the intricate detail hit it off right away, prompting local women of Paisley, a small town in Scotland, to adapt the design for a bigger scale shawl production. As a result of the latter’s effort, Buta was given a new name of paisley and used ever since in many western countries. These days though, you can come across all sorts of different names for Buta depending on the country, region, and language of use: Turkish or Persian pickles, bota in Holland, palme in France.
Buta remains a widespread decorative pattern. From mass productions, to the high couture of fashion houses in France and Italy, Buta is universally explored in drawings, carpets, jewellery, metal products, textiles and fabrics. The most use of it is still in the Near East. Nowhere else like in Azerbaijan is Buta ranked to a national symbol and carries a spiritual underpinning, a status of divine in nature through the veil of time. Speaking of which, we can still trace Buta, in the arms of Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, where it is still being preserved in the form of three flames. In the military, Buta symbolised bravery and valor that reflected in incorporating the ornament in the crowns of the shahs and headdresses of high-ranking military personnel.
Despite the adoption of Islam in the country, the legacy of Zoroastrian symbolism of divine fire, standing for life and eternity, is embedded in the daily life and culture of Azerbaijanis. Buta is taken by many as a talisman, protecting from ‘evil eye’ and ‘bad spirits’ and providing happiness and prosperity to the house.
It was exactly this spiritual belief in the first place that led Azerbaijanis to boost their creativity to make Buta visually appealing in all household objects surrounding them.
Carpets, kilims (rugs) are in the first row of adapting the Buta pattern, particularly in the regions of Azerbaijan such as Baku, Karabakh, Ganja, Nakhchivan, Salyan, Mugan and Ardabil, Tabriz — Azerbaijani populated regions of northern Iran.
Azerbaijani artists and craftsmen take joy in diversifying Buta shapes and giving special names to each of them, from ‘simple’, ‘curved’, ‘serrated’, ‘hook-shaped’, ‘chestnut’, ‘almond’, ‘pointed’, ‘double’, to ‘burning’ Buta and many more.
A national Azerbaijani silk shawl called Kelaghayi a must-have in every Azerbaijani lady’s wardrobe. A luxury accessory acquired by fashion trends and the most pleasant and refined present for ladies of the world.
The Buta pattern on a shawl of a loved one enchanted Majnuns at the time, and up today their folklore, their love burn by Buta is still cherished and performed by great singers of Azerbaijan such as Rashid Behbudov.
Evləri var, ay aman, xana-xana,
Mən kül oldum, ay aman, yana-yana,
Yaylığının yanı buta,
Məni saldın, ay aman, yanar oda.
The Buta shape is a very convincing inspiration point taken on board by architects, extending and revolutionising architectural design. Particularly in Azerbaijan, you can come across Buta-shaped concert halls, office buildings, domes and even petrol stations. And last, but not least, Buta pattern is much acquired by art deco and interior design, offering a range of objects from dishes, jugs to lamps and vases.
My personal interpretation of Buta is applied to glass, complemented by glass painting and the use of decorative textured materials on glass. It gives me great pleasure that my imagery of Glass Buta reaches out and finds home in the interiors of a few different countries by now.
More of Glass Butas on the web https://www.ulvi.co.uk/glass-buta/
Hope you enjoy my Glass Buta collection!
