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Carpet

16th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 462
This carpet comes from the shrine of Shaikh Safi at Ardabil, the dynastic shrine of the Safavids. The shrine attracted gifts from royalty, including the most famous pair of carpets from the mid-sixteenth century, made for a prayer hall commissioned by Shah Tahmasp (r. 1524–76). With its pairs of lions attacking stags, tigers, hares, bears, foxes and wolves across a field of vines and blossoms, this carpet,would not have been used in spaces designated for prayer. Instead, it may have served as a floor covering in the refectory of dormitory.

This carpet suffered losses along the fold lines from improper storage, insertions from other carpets, and damaging adhesive on the back. Recent conservation treatment required removing the adhesive and humidifying the fibers. The carpet was pressure-mounted using an underlay support of custom-dyed red wool fabric to visually minimize areas of loss.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Carpet
  • Date: 16th century
  • Geography: Made in Iran
  • Medium: Silk (warp and weft), wool (pile); asymmetrically knotted pile
  • Dimensions: Rug: L. 140 in. (355.6 cm)
    W. 71 1/4 in. (181 cm)
    Wt. in mount 251 lbs. (113.9 kg)
  • Classification: Textiles-Rugs
  • Credit Line: Frederick C. Hewitt Fund, 1910
  • Object Number: 10.61.2
  • Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

More Artwork

More Artwork
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The Emperor's Carpet, Silk (warp and weft), wool (pile); asymmetrically knotted pile
The Emperor's Carpet
second half 16th century
'Lotto' Carpet, Wool (warp, weft and pile); symmetrically knotted pile
'Lotto' Carpet
16th century
The Anhalt Medallion Carpet, Cotton (warp), silk (weft), wool (pile); asymmetrically knotted pile
The Anhalt Medallion Carpet
probably first half 16th century
Silk Kashan Carpet, Silk (warp, weft and pile); asymmetrically knotted pile
Silk Kashan Carpet
16th century
Fragment of a Northwest Persian Medallion Carpet, Cotton (warp), wool (weft and pile); asymmetrically knotted pile
Fragment of a Northwest Persian Medallion Carpet
early 16th century

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