Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CARPETS
The best-known Iranian cultural export, the Persian carpet, is far more than just a
floor-covering to an Iranian. A Persian carpet is a display of wealth, an investment, an in-
tegral aspect of religious and cultural festivals, and part of everyday life.
History
The oldest surviving carpet is the 'Pazyryk' rug,
believed to date from the 5th century BC and
discovered in the frozen tomb of a Scythian
prince in Siberia in 1948. Its exact origins are
unknown, but some scholars believe it is in the
style of carpets found in the Achaemenid court.
Today it is in the Hermitage Museum
(
www.hermitagemuseum.org
)
in St Petersburg.
Early patterns were usually symmetrical, with
geometric and floral motifs designed to evoke the beauty of the classical Persian garden.
Stylised animal figures were also woven into carpets, and along with human figures (often
royalty), became more popular in the later pre-Islamic period. After the Arab conquest,
Quranic verses were incorporated into some carpet designs, and prayer mats began to be
produced on a grand scale; secular carpets also became a major industry and were prized in
European courts. However, little remains from before the 16th century.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, carpet-
making was patronised by the shahs and a fa-
voured designer or weaver could expect great
privileges. Carpet designs were inspired by
book illumination and the whole process
reached a peak during the reign of Shah Abbas I
(Abbas the Great; r 1587-1629). As demand for
Persian carpets grew, so standards of production fell and designs became less inspired,
though they still led the world in quality and design.
According to the National Iranian Carpet Center, today more than five million Iranians
work in the industry and carpets are the country's largest non-fossil-fuel export by value.
The trade relies on the prestige evoked by the term 'Persian carpet', but maintaining the
brand is increasingly difficult with cheaper 'Persian carpets' being produced in India and
Pakistan, and fewer young Iranians interested in learning to weave.
Arguably the most famous Persian carpets are the
twin 'Ardabil carpets', vast rugs (10.7m x 5.34m)
woven with 30 million knots in the 16th century for
the Sheikh Safi-od-Din Mausoleum. They are now
kept in London's Victoria & Albert Museum
(
www.vam.ac.uk
) and the Los Angeles County Mu-
seum of Art (
www.lacma.org
)
.
The pocket-sized
Oriental Rugs in Colour,
by
Preben Liebetrau, includes an explanation of the
carpets and rugs of Iran and Turkey and is probably
the most useful carpet guide to carry.
