Ardabil Carpets Views

General Goods

Completed during the rule of the Safavid Shah Tahmasp I in the mid-16th century, probably in Tabriz, the carpets are considered some of the best of the classical Persian school of carpet creation. They were first placed in a mosque in Ardabil, but they had become heavily worn in Iran and were sold in 1890[4] to a British carpet broker who restored one of the carpets using the other and then resold the restored one to the Victoria and Albert Museum. William Morris, then an art referee for the V&A, was instrumental in the acquisition.[5]

This most famous of Persian carpets has been the subject of endless copies ranging in size from small rugs to full scale carpets. There is an 'Ardabil' at 10 Downing Street and even Hitler had an 'Ardabil' in his office in Berlin.[5][8] The London carpet was for decades displayed hanging on a wall, but is now shown flat in a special glass pavilion in the centre of the main gallery of Islamic art. The lighting is kept low for conservation reasons.[9]

Ardabil rugs originate from Ardabil located in the province of Ardabil Province in northwestern Iran, 639 kilometers from Tehran. Ardabil has a long and illustrious history of Azerbaijani carpet weaving. The reign of the Safavid Dynasty in the 16th and 17th centuries represented the peak of Azerbaijani carpet making in the region. The name Ardabil comes from the Avesta (The sacred book of Zoroastrians) with the word Artavil literally meaning a tall holy place. The weavers in Ardabil ply their craft using Azerbaijani knots. One of the most famous carpets in existence today is a pair of Persian carpets from Ardabil. This carpet, measuring 34' x 17', is hanging on display in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, England.

The warp on Ardabil rugs is mostly cotton, while the weft is either cotton or wool, although silk is also used as weft on fine Ardabil rugs. The highly skilled weavers may also incorporate silk into the woolen pile in order to accentuate some highlights in the pattern. These fabulous rugs are available in all sizes. Their almost nomadic appearance enhances contemporary, traditional, and modern décors.Ardabil rugs includes the following widely known carpets: Ardabil , Sheikh Safi , Sarabi , Shah Abbasi and Mir .