Analysis of binary opposition in Structural of Moghan Plain Varni (case study: floor covering)

The most important handicrafts of shahsavan are known as Sumak which in local dialect is called Varni. This close textured kilim has a different design and pattern in addition different woven technique. Various works are produced with this weaving technique, such as khorjin, namakdan (salt bag), horse cover and floor covering. Nowadays floor covering produce more than others because this works have been welcomed in national and international markets; and another factor to produce more floor covering is changing the way nomads live. The most important feature of Varni is woven by heart, by women of Shahsavan tribe. Today Varnis are woven different structure such as Multiple – panel, Stripped, medallion design – Corner … and without pattern. As regards human categorize all phenomena, matters and concepts in a confrontational structure, because this handicraft has been created by mental, can be used binary opposition theory for analysis this. Binary opposition is a key concept in structuralism, a theory of sociology, anthropology and linguistics that states that all elements of human culture can only be understood in relation to one another and how they function within a larger system or the overall environment. We often encounter binary oppositions in cultural studies when exploring the relationships between different groups of people, for instance: upper-class and lower-class or disabled and non-disabled. On the surface, these seem like mere identifying labels, but what makes them binary opposites is the notion that they cannot coexist. In order to gain a clear understanding of the term “binary opposition” it is of primary importance to acknowledge its origins in Saussurean structuralist theory. According to Ferdinand de Saussure, the binary opposition is the “means by which the units of language have value or meaning; each unit is defined against what it is not”. Essentially, the concept of the binary opposition is engendered by the Western propensity to organize everything into a hierarchical structure; terms and concepts are related to positives or negatives, with no apparent latitude for deviation: i.e. Man/Woman, Black/White, Life/Death, Inside/Outside, Presence/Absence, and so on. Thus, the binary opposition is fundamentally a structurally derived … Actually human has realized the importance of dual contrasts, at least since the classical period. Aristotle, for example, in metaphysics declares the fundamental opposites as follows: form / matter, natural / unnatural, active / passive, whole / part, unity / plurality, before / after and existence / non-existence. Of course, these oppositions find expressive power and importance not only in their composition but also in their composition in relation to other oppositions. Structuralists believe that the human mind has a structure through which it perceives the world around it and it can be said that one of the ways of knowledge is possible through reciprocal pairs. No structure is independent of dual opposites, so understanding the different angles of any structure depends on recognizing its reciprocal pairs. In thinking, too, dual confrontations are of paramount importance. Because thinking and cognition begin with the application of these contrasts. Therefore, dual opposition is rooted in the human mind, and human beings, due to the free functioning of the mind and its opposition system, always see objects and concepts as positive and negative or good and evil, and generally in the form of a confrontational pair. Dual opposites are elements that seem to be in opposition to each other and are opposed to each other, but in fact complement each other and find meaning and complement each other, and in works of art all the constituent elements , Can include binary contrasts. Claude Levi-Strauss (1908-2009), a structuralist anthropologist, believes that one of the basic functions of the human mind is to create contrasts. Some things are edible, some are not; Some creatures are dangerous, some are not. Influenced by Jacobsen, Strauss considers dual contrasts to be the most important function of the human collective mind. According to him, our ancestors, because they did not have enough knowledge, created double confrontations to understand the world around them. Hence, the structure of human thought is based on dual opposites such as good / bad, holy / unholy, etc. In his view, the structure of the human mind to understand phenomena puts each continuum in a binary reciprocal polarity. This pervasive mental action will eventually lead to the binary opposition, such as nature and culture. The purpose of this article is to identify and analyze the structure of contemporary of Moghan plain Varnis. How represent structural binary opposition in Varnis? Response based on structuralism substantial theory (binary opposition), with descriptively and analytically method. Forty seven photos of Varnis provide by field studied and theoretical framework gather by library resources. Based on Statistical population of this research; findings indicate; Varnis have background with three border, in some case the number of border few or more than three. Medallion pattern has two main structures: corner medallion and just medallion, there are variety of medallion pattern and composition, include one Medallion to twelve Medallions. And this pattern is important among other patterns. In this pattern animal motifs used widely. In medallion pattern, corner motifs can be a quarter of medallion or different pattern from medallion. "Gainagligol" medallion is the most widely used in medallion pattern and have variety shape such as square, rhombic, 6 sided rectangular, 8 sided rectangular, 12 sided rectangular and 16-sided rectangular shapes as medallion. Most important feature of design Straipped is they did not have animal motifs. In Combined design that some of them waving from picture or another pattern, used human motifs such as Achaemenid soldiers and contemporary miniature figures. Ilangoli motif is abstract design that waving by heart and one of the famous motifs among Varnis. In multiple – panel design, motifs drawn in Square or rhombus panel. Rooster motif that most important and famous motif wave in this way. In some case rooster motif is alone and another case rooster motif is alternately used with a plant motif. Animal motifs are represented from the side view, front view, top view and three faces view. Among the animal motifs, just eagle motif is represented from front view. This motif has been used in multiple – panel design, Combined design and medallion design and has not been used in Stripped design and overall design. Also, some insects, especially butterflies, are drawn from top view. Animal motifs have been used in the border of multiple – panel design and overall designs. Animal motifs are usually drawn statically and immobile and in some cases dynamically. Most of the bird motifs in Verni are depicted as motionless and some as swimming and flying. Although domestic animals motifs and wild animals motifs indicate in Varni, the frequency of domestic animals motifs is more than wild animals motifs. Most motifs are separated in Varnis especially in background; narrow border motifs are connected and wide border motifs are separate. Geometric micro-motifs are used inside some motifs, especially animal motifs. Motifs are usually woven with border line with dark colors, light colors or the same color as the motif. Some patterns are also woven without border lines. Usually light colors are used in the background and dark colors are used in the border.Some of the motifs are woven in one color, and some are woven with several colors.