ID: 700008814 Page link: http://vocab.getty.edu/page/cona/700008814	Record Type: Movable Work
Images: 1

Ardabil Carpet (carpet; unknown Persian; AH 946; 1539-1540 (made); Victoria and Albert Museum (London, Greater London, England,...; 272-1893)

Note: The Ardabil Carpet, is the world's oldest dated carpet and one of the largest, most beautiful and historically important in the world. In 2006, The Ardabil Carpet was made as one of a matching pair in the late 1530s for the shrine at Ardabil. The exact knot-count of the Ardabil carpet varies throughout its structure, as is typical, and the given count of 340 knots per inch (equivalent to 5,472/dm2) is therefore an average value. The Los Angeles Ardabil carpet in turn has been recorded to hold an average of 350 knots per square inch: the two carpets therefore have roughly the same knot-count. This near-parity supports the accepted proposal that the two carpets were woven by the same team at the same time. In a small panel at one end, the date of completion is given as the year 946 in the Muslim calendar, equivalent to 1539-1540. After an earthquake in the 1870s the carpets were sold. One was used to patch the other and the complete carpet was bought by the V&A. The Ardabil Carpet, like most textiles, consists of warps and wefts. it was made on a loom by knotting short lengths of wool around the warps to create a rows of pile. The entire surface of the Ardabil carpet is covered by a single integrated design - an impressive feat in view of the great size of the carpet. Design of central medallion with two hanging lamps. The basic design is relatively simple, and its components are well-balanced. Richness and variety are added by the use of contrasting background colours and the subtle differences between the filler patterns.

Titles:

Ardabil Carpet (preferred,C,U,RP,English-P,U,U)

Catalog Level: item

Work Types:

carpet [300185756] (preferred)

..... (Objects Facet, Furnishings and Equipment (hierarchy name), Furnishings (hierarchy name), furnishings (works), <furnishings by form or function>, coverings and hangings, <coverings and hangings by specific type>, <coverings and hangings by form>, rugs (textiles), <rugs by form>)

Classifications:

Islamic art (preferred)

Creation Date: AH 946; 1539-1540 (made)

Creator Display:

unknown Persian [preferred,VP]

maker unknown Iranian (Iranian cultural designation) [500203460]

patron Ṭahmāsp I, Shah of Iran (Iranian shah, 1514-1576) [500371701]

Locations:

Current: Victoria and Albert Museum (London, Greater London, England, United Kingdom) [500302040] Corporate Bodies (Corp. Body)

Repository Numbers: 272-1893

Address Note: Islamic Middle East, room 42, case 21

Other: Creation: Term Not Found (TGN Candidate) (Geographic)

Display Materials: knotted pile; wool pile on silk foundation

	wool (textile) [300243430]
	.......(Materials Facet, Materials (hierarchy name), materials (substances), <materials by form>, <materials by physical form>, <fiber and fiber by product>, <fiber by product>, textile materials, <textile materials by composition or origin>)

	knotted pile [300227845]
	.......(Objects Facet, Components (hierarchy name), components (objects parts), <components by specific context>, textile components, pile (textile component))

	silk (textile) [300243428]
	.......(Materials Facet, Materials (hierarchy name), materials (substances), <materials by form>, <materials by physical form>, <fiber and fiber by product>, <fiber by product>, textile materials, <textile materials by composition or origin>)

Dimensions: Width: 530 cm non-inscription end, Width: 529.5 cm middle, Width: 535.5 cm inscription end, Length: 1032.5 cm left side looking from inscription end, Length: 1044 cm middle, Length: 1031 cm right side

Cultures:

Safavid (preferred)

General Subject:

utilitarian objects (preferred)

religion and mythology

Specific Subjects:

	medallions (medals) [300077357]
	.....(Objects Facet, Visual and Verbal Communication (hierarchy name), Visual Works (hierarchy name), visual works (works), <visual works by form>, medals) (AAT)

	flowers (motif) [300375563]
	.....(Physical Attributes Facet, Design Elements (hierarchy name), design elements (attributes), motifs, plant-derived motifs) (AAT)

Provenance: Purchased in 1893 from Messrs. Vincent Robinson & Co. Ltd., 34 Wigmore Street, London. Robinson's in turn had purchased the carpet from Ziegler's of Manchester, a trading firm with offices in both Tabriz and Sultanabad (modern Arak) in Iran: Ziegler's bought the carpet in 1888 from the shrine of Shaykh Safi in Ardabil, repairing it heavily. In 1889-90, the shrine authorities completed new restoration works on the earthquake-damaged buildings of the complex: arguably, the carpet was originally sold in order to fund this renovation. By 1892, the Ardabil Carpet was on display in Vincent Robinson's showroom.

Inscriptions: جز استان توام در جهان پناهی نیست سرمرا بجز این در حواله گاهی نیست عمل بنده درگاه مقصود کاشانی 946 Except for thy haven, there is no place for me in this world. Other than here, there is no place for my head. The work of a servant of the court, Maqsud of Kashan.

Related Works:

	mate of .... Ardabil Carpet [700000129]
	..........carpet; Maqsud of Kashan (Persian, 16th century); 946 anno Hegirae (1540 CE); Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Los Angeles, Los Angeles c...; 53.50.2

List/Hierarchical Position:

..... Movable Works

.......... Movable Works by class: decorative and utilitarian works

Sources and Contributors:
Ardabil Carpet	........ [VP]
	........ Victoria and Albert Museum [online] (2010)

Subject: ....... [VP]

Note:
English	..... [VP]
	..... Victoria and Albert Museum [online] (2010)