Buta, Paisley: How it Became a Worldwide Ornament
The shape of buta and the word buta is of Persian origin. The textile designs cramming many of them into a rich pattern are originally Indian. The ornament of buta was so popular with the British that they borrowed it from India and reproduced it in their textiles. Since then, it has been known in the West as the Paisley pattern, the name of a Scottish town, famous for these fabrics.
Buta is a fascinating example of how a simple design can be interpreted in a variety of ways by different cultures. Azerbaijani buta symbolizes fire which belongs to the Zoroastrian and Fire-Worship Age. If burn a shrub, each branch burns separately, as a candle and a tongue of flame rises from it; this resembles buta.
Persians believe buta is a Zoroastrian symbol of life and eternity. The “bent” cedar resembles buta and therefore, it is also a sign of strength and resistance but modesty.
Origin
Buta, also known as paisley, has a mysterious origin with speculation on its early meaning and mythology surrounding its symbolism. There are three arguments regarding the meaning of the Buta:
The Buta influenced by Zoroastrianism: some experts argue Zoroastrianism served as one of the earliest influences for Buta design with the shape representing the cypress tree, an ancient Zoroastrian religious symbol.
In early Iranian culture, the design was woven onto Termeh (a cloth made of silk and wool), one of the most valuable materials in early Iran where the design served to make clothing for the nobility. As expressed by Sam Willis in the 2016 BBC TV series The Silk Road, the buta symbol originated from the city of Yazd in Iran. The city has been a center for Zoroastrianism since the 3rd century AD.
The Azerbaijani Buta: Also, the buta motif is sometimes referred to as the flame of Zoroaster. It has been a symbol of the divine fire and worshipped in Azerbaijan since ancient times. Considered to be the prevalent decorative element of Azerbaijani Ornamental Art, Buta is a pattern that belongs to Fire-Worship Age.
An interesting note is a fact that if a shrub is burnt, each branch burns separately, like a candle, and a tongue of flame rises from it. All this looks like an ornamental buta.
The Azerbaijani version of Buta could be of Zoroastrian origin as well, even though there is a twist.
The country Azerbaijan was once part of the Achaemenid Empire (550–330s BCE) which spread Zoroastrianism throughout the kingdom. In Zoroastrianism, water and fire are agents of ritual purity, and the associated purification ceremonies are considered the basis of ritual life. Zoroastrian Followers believe fire symbolizes God’s purity and wisdom, so worship in front of a flame.
Thus, the current meaning of the buta in Azerbaijan could be inspired by the fire in the Zoroastrian religion and not the cypress symbol.
Buta from Sassanid: Others contest that the earliest representation of the pattern comes from the Sassanid Dynasty, who lived in modern-day Iran, dating to more than 2,200 years BCE and remained in power until the 3rd century CE.
The design was representative of a teardrop and was used as a high-class decoration, mostly serving to decorate royal items that belonged to those of high status. It was said to have been a pattern worn to represent elite social status, such as that of nobility. The pattern was traditionally woven onto silk clothing using silver and gold material.
Iran, Kashmir and then to Europe
The motif itself is of Persian origin but was used in the production of shawls in Kashmir. The East India Company imported paisley shawls from Kashmir and Persia to Europe in large quantities around 1800. The designs were specifically tailored to cater to each regions’ particular tastes. In Europe, the shawls were worn mainly by women, not men.
European customers gradually preferred more sophisticated patterns on their shawls. Therefore, Kashmir shawls with buta design spread to Europe. With the increased interest in the shawl, British production of woven shawls began in a small town of Paisley, Scotland. Women of Paisley adapted the traditional design primarily by weaving woolen shawls. Due to the huge scale of shawl production in Paisley city, the pattern was given the name ‘paisley’.
Meaning
It is fascinating how the definition of Buta can be interpreted in a variety of ways by different cultures. Some design scholars believe that buta is the convergence of a stylized floral spray and a cypress tree: a Zoroastrian symbol of life and eternity. The “bent” cedar is also a sign of strength and resistance but modesty.
The cypress tree is the symbol of eternity and long life. It frequently appears in Zoroastrian folk art. There are several reasons for this. First, the cypress tree is an evergreen and does not die back in the winter but stays green all year. Secondly, cypress trees are known as some of the longest-lived trees in the world.
I remember, in my childhood, my grandmother once told me buta is a symbol of resistance and wanted me to be strong in tough times. Buta symbolizes a cypress tree that, even though, it might get bent in tufan and hurricanes but will never break, she said.
Buta in Azerbaijan
The buta shape is the national symbol of Azerbaijan to this day and it symbolizes fire. As mentioned, the buta form in Azerbaijan is related to the Zoroastrian religion that dates to the first millennium BC. This motif is considered the most ancient among all national ornaments of Azerbaijan.
Today, this ornament is widely used in Azerbaijan: on carpets, textiles, and decoration of buildings. Buta is displayed in the emblem of the 2012 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The coat of arms of Baku is the official heraldic symbol of the city of Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. The buta is also present on the arms of Baku in the form of three flames.
Name
The ornament of buta was so popular with the British that they borrowed it from India and reproduced in their textiles. Due to the huge scale of shawl production in Paisley city, the pattern was given the name ‘paisley’. Since then, it has been known in the West as the Paisley pattern, the name of a Scottish town, famous for these fabrics.
Paisley is not an international name for the pattern, it is called Palme in France, bota in the Netherlands, bootar in India, and peizuli in Japan. The pattern is sometimes called “Persian pickles” by American traditionalists.
Buta these days
Even though Buta is from the past, there has been a lot of attention to this ornament in various fields. From fashion and textile to sport and home décor. The popularity and uniqueness of Buta make it a great gift for occasions. Not only Buta is known to Persian, Azeris, and Turks but also European and American countries are familiar with this ornament of the past. There have been numerous illustrations of buta design in fashion by various designers and brands.
In the 2010 Winter Olympics, the Azerbaijan team received mass media coverage around the world because of their trousers design. The Azerbaijan team wore modern graphic and colorful paisley trousers, which gave the small team (only 2 competitors) great exposure at the opening ceremony.
Buta was then displayed in the emblem of the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, which was held in Azerbaijan.
In 2009 the highly respected clothing label Pretty Green was launched with Liam Gallagher at its helm as founder and designer. It was named ‘Menswear Brand of the Year’ at the Drapers Fashion Awards in 2010. Exclusive paisley prints are constantly present in the collections as shirts, polos, or shoes with signature paisley inner liners. Actress Kate Hudson was featured on the front page of InStyle magazine in July 2014 wearing a stylish red and pale blue paisley bikini.
The Manchester City 20–21 third jersey combines the colors ‘Whisper White’ & ‘Peacoat’ with an eye-catching all-over Paisley print. The pattern appears all over the front and sleeves of the Man City 2020–2021 third shirt, inspired by the city of Manchester’s rich musical heritage and fashion culture.
Justin Trudeau, prime minister of Canada, uses the Buta tie in his speech on Labor Day 2020.
