Almost any book
ever written on the subject of Persian rugs will begin with an introduction of
the "Pazyryk" rug found in Siberia during excavations. This is the
oldest hand-knotted rug in existence today and its description makes a suitable
introduction to books that study the history of rugs. However, another one of
the oldest Persian rugs known to the mankind is the Persian Ardebil Sheykh Safi
rug. There is not much information as to its exact history, and this is perhaps
the reason it is not discussed quite that often. Following is a brief history
of this unique masterpiece.
In North West
Persia, and in the city of Ardebil, a pair of amazingly beautiful Persian rugs
were discovered in a mosque, the burial place of Sheykh Safi al-Din, the
ancestor of the founder of the Safavid dynasty. Later, these carpets came to be
known simply as "Ardebil" rugs. Back in 1893, an art referee
persuaded Victoria and Alberts museum in London to purchase one of these rugs.
The other pair is a bit more finely knotted and is now on display at the Los
Angeles County Museum of Art. But on this rug, borders and part of the central
field are missing. A portion of the missing areas are believed to have been
used to repair the carpet owned by the V& A. The Ardebil carpet measures
over 17 by 34 feet, and is considered as one of the largest, oldest Persian
rugs in existence today.
Almost
certainly, the pair of Ardebil carpets were a royal commission and would have
taken approximately four years to weave. However, nobody knows where exactly
they have been woven. At one end of the Ardabil carpet, an inscription dates it
back to 1540 AD. After some minor and major repairs on this carpet, it was
placed behind glass in Gallery 42 of the Victoria and Alberts meseum where it
remained on display until 1974. Throughout the years, many visitors to the
museum have enjoyed its adorable pattern and wonderful colors. Recently, this
rug has been moved to the "Jameel Gallery", and is certainly the main
object of attraction to this place. It is displayed flat under a suspended
canopy and can be viewed from all sides. The canopy forms the top of the case
which encloses the Ardabil carpet, protecting it from general gallery lighting.
The unique characteristic of the "Sheykh Safi" pattern is that the
four corners will form the center medallion if attached to one another. This
wonderful pattern has been copied in many Persian carpets and Oriental rugs
such as Mashad, Kerman, Tabriz, and Sarouk. Since its acquisition, the Ardebil
carpet has been cleaned once and is very unlikely to have the strength of
getting another wash in the future.
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