Rethinking research methodologies for Ottoman hand-weaving industries: towards the better understanding of Iranian handloom industries

摘要

While the history of Iranian handicrafts is difficult to grasp, historical research and　writing that focuses on the economic history of Ottoman handicrafts has flourished over the past several decades. So this essay is a critical review of the research methods applied to hand-weaving industries in the economic history of the Ottoman for the purpose of exploring the possibilities of research into the Iranian handloom industries, since Ottoman craft productions resemble their counterparts in Iran. Analysis focuses especially on the works of Suraiya Faroqhi and Donald Quataert. In conclusion, we identify the following points and assume that they are instructive in regard to Iran. (1) Changes in specific industries should not be generalized to other industries and regions, because trends in the development and decline of crafts production were varied. (2) Such changes were determined by changes in local, national, and international politics and economics; trends in consumer markets, and ethnic issues etc. (3) Rural productions were not just for self-sufficient use, but for the market, and thus it is necessary to understand the producing areas in the local, regional, national, and international context. (4) The so-called “decline paradigm” has a strong impact on not only modern craft production studies but also our contemporary perspectives.