The Weaving Industry and Textile Trade In the Samanid Realm Based on Written Historical and Geographical Sources

Document Type : .

Authors

1 Department of History. Faculty of Law and Social Sciences. University of Tabriz. Tabriz. Iran

2 History Teacher at the Education Department, Tehran District 6

10.30465/ehs.2025.52693.2056
Abstract
Textile production in the Samanid realm was closely intertwined with pastoralism, agriculture, and horticulture, and was shaped by the natural environment of Khorasan, Transoxiana, and Khwarezm. The production of wool, cotton, flax, and silk sustained the textile industry, whose occupational structure encompassed spinning, weaving, and dyeing. Nishapur, Marv, Bukhara, Samarkand, and Kath served as major centers of production. The diversity of textiles included silk, cotton, and woolen fabrics such as palaas and felt. The weaving industry benefited from the commercial prosperity of Nishapur, Marv, Bukhara, and Kath, while textiles were exported to other regions via the Khorasan Highway and the Silk Road.

The central question of this study concerns the relationship between textile production and the economic, social, and geographical structures of the Samanid domain. The research aims to examine the role of natural factors, occupational networks, production centers, and trade routes in the development of weaving. The study employs a descriptive–analytical approach based on historical and geographical sources.

Findings show that abundant water, thriving agriculture and herding, and a favorable geography created ideal conditions for raw material production. Nishapur, Marv, Bukhara, Samarkand, and Kath were key textile centers, distributing their products through trade routes to other lands.

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Volume 14, Issue 2 - Serial Number 28
December 2025
Pages 287-322

  • Receive Date 11 August 2025
  • Revise Date 03 November 2025
  • Accept Date 23 November 2025