The carpet, as one of the most valuable accomplishments of the Iranian people, is itself a culture, an amalgamation of various traditional arts such as design, embossing, painting and portraiture, miniature, Tazhib or Gold Embellishment on Carpets, tilework, dyeing and color-making, all of which have contributed to the evolution of this authentic art. This art has also given rise to enduring traditions and expresses the emotions, beliefs, and religious convictions of Iranians, encapsulating the heartfelt sentiments of this noble people.
Thousands of years ago, clusters of animal and plant fibers such as wool and cotton were transformed into yarn by hand with remarkable skill. Later, humans invented the spindle and then the spinning wheel to increase yarn production. These threads were woven together with great precision, giving shape to the carpet. The discovery of dyeing techniques enabled people to color the threads to their liking and create the earliest patterns on the warp and weft of the carpet.
Persian poetry offers further evidence of the antiquity of carpet weaving in Iran. It seems that Rudaki was the first poet to use the word “qalī” (carpet) in Persian poems. Although depictions of human and animal figures on carpets became limited during the early Islamic period, carpet weaving remained a cherished art among Muslim rulers and sultans. Today, carpets from these periods are preserved in major museums around the world.
The Safavid era may be regarded as the age of the elevation and splendor of Iranian carpet weaving. Royal patronage during this period allows us to confidently refer to the Safavid dynasty as the golden age of Persian carpet art. Indeed, the origins of the classical Persian carpet trace back to the Safavids, when the craft flourished in cities such as Tabriz, Isfahan, Kashan, Mashhad, Kerman, Yazd, Shirvan, and Gilan. The use of central medallion (toranj) designs and corner motifs (lachak) also became widespread during this time.
From a cultural standpoint, it can be said that no other product is as closely associated with the name of Iran as the carpet. A significant part of Iranian art and civilization is indebted to the carpet, which has long served as one of the finest means for conveying authentic Iranian culture to other societies. Carpet production in Iran dates back nearly three thousand years, and this traditional industry is supported by indigenous techniques and a vast repertoire of designs enriched by regional diversity.
Among the most famous Persian carpets is the Pazyryk carpet, which reflects the artistry and taste of the Medes or the Parthians. It was discovered by Professor Rudenko in a region called Pazyryk in southern Siberia. Approximately three thousand years old, it is considered the oldest known carpet in the world. Its motifs resemble those found at Persepolis, and the piece is currently housed in the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg. But Master Seyyed Reza Khoshknabi believes that based on the symmetrical knots used in the Pazyryk carpet, the history of carpet weaving must extend back more than three thousand years.
Another renowned Persian carpet is the Ardabil Carpet, also known as the Sheikh Safi Carpet, which is kept in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. It is one of the world’s most exquisite and celebrated carpets and is listed among the fifty selected masterpieces of global art. Its “lachak-toranj” design is a fine example of the artistry of the Sufi period.
Another celebrated work is the Baharestan Carpet, also known as Bahar-e- Khosrow, Bahar-e Kasra, or Mahestan. Woven from silk, gold, silver, and precious stones such as emeralds and pearls, it depicted a heavenly garden. It was taken to Medina during the Arab invasion of Iran, where it was eventually cut into pieces. Other famous Persian carpets include the Hunting Carpet at the Austrian Museum of Art and the Chelsea Carpet kept at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
The Clark Sickle-Leaf Carpet, another Persian carpet with a deep madder-red ground, was purchased anonymously at a Sotheby’s auction in New York. It is believed to originate from Kerman and features one of the rarest examples of the vase-technique design.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, New York, houses one of the finest carpets of the Safavid court. Known as the Emperor’s Carpet, this Persian masterpiece once adorned the summer residence of the Austrian emperors. It contains a richly intertwined network of blossoms, large composite motifs, buds, and flowers that enclose both real and mythical animals, resembling a heavenly garden in spring. The Louvre Museum in Paris is also home to a Tabriz carpet known as the Montes Carpet, woven roughly 120 years ago in northwestern Iran.
Persian carpets feature a wide range of designs, including the Shah-Abbasi pattern; “Eslimi” (Arabesque) patterns; Derivative designs; the “Afshan”Pattern; the Boteh (paisley) motif; tree and Hunting-scene patterns; Turkmen designs; Gol-ghabi and Vase designs; Striped (Moharramat) patterns; and Geometric, Tribal, and Nomadic patterns.
Among classical Persian carpets, notable types include Bakhtiari, Fars, Qashqai, and Heris carpets. Qashqai carpets are often woven using the “mental weaving” method, a form of traditional improvisation passed down through generations.
Some of the world-renowned Persian carpets include: Kerman carpets, Kashan medallion-and-corner carpets, Tabriz carpets, Heris carpets, Qom silk carpets, hand-woven Nain carpets, Bakhtiari “Kheshti” carpets, Baluchi carpets, and Isfahan Shah-Abbasi carpets.
The world’s largest carpet, registered in the Guinness Book of Records under Iran’s name, was woven using 38 tons of cotton and wool, by 1,200 weavers from Khorasan Province, and covering an area of 5,630 square meters. It took one and a half years to complete this carpet and is currently spread out in Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi.