Methodology of Constellations Depicted on Zodiac Carpet

The twelve considered signs for the zodiacal constellations are rooted in mythologies of the ancient nations, and particularly the Mesopotamian mythology. Various beliefs have also been developed in relation to this group of heavenly bodies among different religions and rites, and also among people’s art and culture that still have continued to remain and examples which can be identified in visual arts of different territories. Also, in the Iranian art, the zodiacal constellations are a kind of the designs were used as decorative ornaments in various Islamic periods. The Zodiac carpet is an example of such work in which constellations have a special representation, and embodiment of these ornaments and it is evident in the context of carpet. The present paper aims to investigate the mythical motifsof constellations were depicted on this carpet and this article examines the mythical patterns of the illustrated constellations. Also in this research, it is tried to study the ancient symbols of ancient civilizations such as Mesopotamiaand Iran to the etymology and semantic descriptions of the symbols of the altar area drawn on this carpet.