Paisley is a droplet-shaped vegetal motif, similar to
half of the T'ai Chi symbol, the Indian bodhi tree leaf, or
the mango tree. The design originated in
India and spread to
Scotland when British soldiers brought home
cashmere shawls. From
roughly 1800 to 1850, using
Jacquard looms, the women of the town of Paisley,
Scotland adapted the design and wove woolen shawls, hence
the design is popularly known as the Paisley pattern.
Changes in fashion led to the demise of the shawl bringing
hardship to the
weavers in Scotland and the originators in Kashmir.
The shape has been widely adopted since then. Although the influence is not clear, the Turkish tughra calligraphic seal strongly resembles the paisley shape. Some design scholars call the distinct shape boteh and believe it is the convergence of a stylized floral spray and a cypress tree -- a Zoroastrian symbol of death and eternity.
