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The web site is not active at this time and the prices are examples only.please call us on 0401326675 or visit our store for any inquieries. The Company: We are a family run business and have been dealing in Persian and Oriental rugs for over three Generations,we are one of the largest wholesalers of Persian carpets. our dedication and pride in our business and products carries through in our selection of merchandise as well as our excellent service.

Our Philosophy: Share in our appreciation for deluxe traditional style. We offer a large selection of beautiful one-of-a-kind hand-knotted Persian and Oriental rugs, as well as brilliant reproduction rugs. An oriental rug is ultimate comfort for those people who seek exceptional fine quality.

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Please take a look at the new shipment which arrived recently, and has been added to our 50,000+ rugs collection.

This article has been taken from Nazmiyal collection with thanks.

When contemplating the state of fine art since the twentieth century, one does not typically analyze the impact and relevance antique (and modern) rugs. Although painting and sculpture are the dominant media of the avant-garde, it is seldom acknowledged that rugs represent a marriage of the two; or a meeting place between object and image. The substantiality and diversity of the antique rug both conceptually and formally adheres to contemporary practices in fine arts since the abstract expressionists of the 1950’s.

Mark Rothko Painting The abstract expressionist school , based on the beliefs of art critic Clement Greenberg, believed in painting as a practice and not an attempt to create an illusion of space. These painters were primarily concerned with treating the painting as a surface rather than a window to another world, and they shifted the scale of painting from small pieces to large canvases (usually bigger than a grown man). One of the better-known artists of this time, Mark Rothko, was primarily concerned with the impact of color and texture on the viewer. This idea translates easily to the antique or modern rug. Rothko felt that a large field of color and texture would cause the viewer of a work to be completely submissive to feeling that color. This is similar to the feeling one can get from placing different colored rugs in a room. For example, a bright red rug (ex: rug #3398) would dramatically affect the atmosphere of a room while a neutral rug (ex: rug #43503) would be more calming.

Robert Rauschenberg was a well known artist who signaled the transition in painting from abstract expressionism to pop art. His paintings were said to be like a workbench by critic Leo Steinberg due to their lack of designated orientation and lack of “space”. Steinberg asserted that this “flatbed picture plane” (a term which is also the title of his essay on the subject) signified a shift in art from subject matter to a tangible, habitual living space or culture. This idea easily is applied to rugs in the manner that a rug is not only an object that is aesthetically sophisticated, but it is also a space that is intended to be lived on. Much like Rauschenberg used his workbench-esque paintings in order to organize his thoughts and culture, designers use rugs with other objects in a room to organize the living patterns and thoughts of those who occupy the space.

Antique Sultanabad Persian Carpet

More recently, artists which are commonly referred to as being post-modern, such as Cindy Sherman or Barbara Kruger, strive to analyze what already exists culturally by using photographs and familiar imagery. This practice allows those who experience the work to not only appreciate the visual impact, but also to contemplate the origin and history of these familiar images. This idea is directly related to the creation, ownership, and lifespan of an antique rug. The complete visual aesthetic (pattern, color, design, size, and origin) of an antique rug is directly related to the time and place in which it was made. As these rugs get older, they not only appreciate value monetarily, they also gain value from the people who have owned them (ex: rug # 3382) and from the experience of being lived on.

When a person buys an antique rug, they do not only want to identify with a beautiful example of craftsmanship and design, but also with the history and intrigue of owning something that has existed before them,and will exist after them.That is what makes them contemporary.

Among the carpet-producing regions of the Middle East none is as varied and extensive in its output, or perhaps as ancient, as Iran. It is possible that fragments of ninth century pile carpets discovered at Fostat near Cairo were imported from Iran. In any case, large-scale carpet weaving is attested in Iran by the Mongol or Ilkhanid period c. 1300, as well as for the subsequent Timurid period up through the late fifteenth century.

But the great era of Persian carpet weaving really begins after 1500 with the foundation of the Safavid dynasty by Shah Ismail. In the course of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries Iran produced many of the great masterpieces of Oriental carpet weaving that are still extant today. Major enters of production seem to have been Tabriz, Kerman, and Isfahan, although there is no firm historical documentation for attributing carpets to the last site.

During this period Persian carpets were exported all over the world, from Japan to Western Europe. It is perhaps significant that the lavish carpets captured as booty from the Ottoman Turks after the Battle of Vienna in 1683 consisted primarily of Persian pieces, even though the Turks were themselves major producers of pile carpets. Persian carpets reached their maximum production in the later nineteenth century by which time they had become virtually synonymous with the concept of the Oriental rug.

During this time a great revival, Iranian weavers recaptured much of the range and quality of the classical Persian predecessors, both at old centers like Tabriz and Kerman, as well as in many new areas of Production like Sultanabad or Kashan. Since that time Persian carpets have been made in an almost dizzying array of styles from the finest urban productions to the boldest village and nomadic pieces.

History The art of carpet weaving existed in Iran in ancient times, according to evidences and in the opinion of scientists. An example of such evidences is the 2500-year-old Pazyryk carpet dating back to 500 B.C., during the Achaemenid period. The first documented evidence on the existence of Persian carpets came from Chinese texts dating back to the Sassanid period (224 - 641 CE).[6] This art underwent many changes in various eras of the Iranian history to an extent that it passed an upward trend before the Islamic era until the Mongols invasion of Iran. After the invasion, the art began to grow again during the reign of the Mongol dynasties of Timurid and Ilkhanid.[1] With the passage of time, the materials used in carpets, including wool, silk and cotton, decay. Therefore archaeologists are rarely able to make any particularly useful discoveries during archaeological excavations. What has remained from early times as evidence of carpet-weaving is nothing more than a few pieces of worn-out carpets. Such fragments do not help very much in recognizing the carpet-weaving characteristics of pre-Seljuk period (13th and 14th centuries AD) in Persia. [edit] Pre-Islamic period The Pazyryk Carpet, the oldest known surviving carpet in the world, 5th century BC. In a unique archaeological excavation in 1949, the exceptional Pazyryk carpet was discovered among the ices of Pazyryk Valley, in Altai Mountains in Siberia. The carpet was found in the grave of a Scythian prince. Radiocarbon testing indicated that the Pazyryk carpet was woven in the 5th century BC.[7] This carpet is 283 by 200 cm (approximately 9.3 by 6.5 ft) and has 36 symmetrical knots per cm² (232 per inch²)..[8] The advanced weaving technique used in the Pazyryk carpet indicates a long history of evolution and experience in this art. Pazyryk carpet is considered as the oldest carpet in the world.[9] Its central field is a deep red color and it has two wide borders, one depicting deer and the other Persian horseman. However, it is believed that the carpet from Pazyryk is not likely a nomadic product, but a product of the Achaemenid period.[10] Historical records show that the Achaemenian court of Cyrus the Great at Pasargade was decked with magnificent carpets. This was over 2500 years ago. Alexander II of Macedonia is said to have been dazzled by the carpets in the tomb area of Cyrus the Great at Pasargade. [7] By the sixth century, Persian carpets of wool or silk were renowned in court circles throughout the region. The Bahârestân (spring) carpet of Khosrow I was made for the main audience hall of the Sasanians imperial Palace at Ctesiphon in Sasanian province of Khvârvarân (nowadays Iraq). It was 450 feet (140 m) long and 90 feet (27 m) wide and depicted a formal garden. In 7th century CE With occupation of the Sasanian capital, Tuspawn, the Baharestan carpet was taken by the Arabs, cut into small fragments and divided among the victorious soldiers as booty.[11] According to historians, the famous Tāqdis throne was covered with 30 special carpets representing 30 days of a month and four other carpets representing the four seasons of a year[12]. [edit] Islamic period Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page. (January 2007) From the yarn fiber to the colors, every part of the Persian carpet is traditionally hand made from natural ingredients over the course of many months. This arduous process is shown in the Japanese/Iranian film Carpet of Wind. Some traditional tools of the craft. Elements of the Persian carpet. In the 8th century A.D. Azarbaijan Province was among the largest centers of carpet and rough carpet (ziloo) weaving in Iran. The Province of Tabarestan, besides paying taxes, sent 600 carpets to the courts of caliphs in Baghdad every year. At that time, the main items exported from that region were carpets, and small carpets for saying prayers. Furthermore, the carpets of Khorassan, Sistan and Bukhara, because of their prominent designs and motifs were on high demands among purchasers.[1] During the reigns of the Seljuq and Ilkhanate dynasties, carpet weaving was still a booming business so much so that a mosque built by Ghazan Khan in Tabriz, northwestern Iran, was covered with superb Persian carpets. Sheep were specially bred to produce fine wool for weaving carpets. Carpet designs depicted by miniature paintings belonging to the Timurid era lend proof to the development of this industry at that time. There is also another miniature painting of that time available which depicts the process of carpet weaving. During that era dyeing centers were set up next to carpet weaving looms. The industry began to thrive until the attack on Iran by the Mongol army.[1] The earliest surviving of the Persian carpets from this period is of a Safavid (1501-1736) carpet known as the Ardabil Carpet, currently in V&A Museum in London.[13] This most famous of Persian carpets has been the subject of endless copies ranging in size from small carpets to full scale carpets. There is an 'Ardabil' at 10 Downing Street and even Hitler had an 'Ardabil' in his office in Berlin.[14][15] The carpets are woven in 1539-40 according to the dated inscriptions. The foundation is of silk and the pile of wool with a knot density at 300-350 knots per square inch ( 470-540.000 knots per square metres). The size of the carpets are 34 1/2 feet by 17 1/2 feet ( 10,5 metres x 5,3 metres).[16] There is much variety among classical Persian carpets of the 16th and 17th century. There are numerous sub-regions that contribute distinctive designs to Persian carpets of this period such as Tabriz and Lavar Kerman. Common motifs include scrolling vine networks, arabesques, palmettes, cloud bands, medallions, and overlapping geometric compartments rather than animals and humans. Figural designs are particularly popular in the Iranian market and are not nearly as common in carpets exported to the west. [edit] Modern period Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page. (January 2007) Although carpet production is now mostly mechanized, traditional hand woven carpets are still widely found all around the world, and usually have higher prices than their machine woven counterparts due to them being an artistic presentation. Iran exported $517 million worth of hand woven carpets in 2002. There are an estimated population of 1.2 million weavers in Iran producing carpets for local markets as well as export. In recent times Iranian carpets have come under fierce competition from other countries producing fakes of the original Iranian designs as well as genuine cheaper substitutes. Most of the problems facing this traditional art is due to absence of patenting and branding the products as well as reduced quality of raw materials in the local market and the consistent loss of original design patterns. The absence of modern R&D, is causing rapid decline in the size as well as market value of this art[17]. [edit] Materials Wool is the most common material for carpets but cotton is frequently used for the foundation of city and workshop carpets. There are a wide variety in types of wool used for weaving. Those of which include Kork wool, Manchester wool, and in some cases even Camel Hair wool. Silk carpets date back to at least the sixteenth century in Sabzavar and the Seventeenth century in Kashan and Yezd.[citation needed] Silk carpets are less common than wool carpets since silk is more expensive and less durable; they tend to increase in value with age. Due to their rarity, value and lack of durability, silk carpets are often displayed on the wall like tapestries rather than being used as floor coverings. [edit] Designs, motifs, and patterns Persian rugs are made up of a layout and a design which in general included one or a number of motifs. [edit] Layout Persian rugs are typically designed using one of three patterns: all-over, central medallion and one-sided. Some abstract unsymmetrical design can be found but most of these can be described as one-sided or unidirectional. [18] [edit] Motifs There are a number of patterns which are found in Persian and Oriental rugs called 'motifs', these designs have different meanings and tend to be used depending on the area the rug was woven although it is not unusual to find more than one motif in a single rug. Some of the more common motifs are:[19] * Boteh * Gul * Herati * Mina-Khani * Rosette * Shah Abbasi [edit] Techniques and structures [edit] The Long Weaving Process Wax figure of weaver of carpets in Fars History museum The weaving of pile rugs is a difficult and tedious process which, depending on the quality and size of the rug, may take anywhere from a few months to several years to complete. To begin making a rug, you need a foundation consisting of warps strong, thick threads of cotton, wool or silk which run the length of the rug and wefts similar threads which pass under and over the warps from one side to the other. The warps on either side of the rug are normally combined into one or more cables of varying thickness that are overcast to form the selvedge. Weaving normally begins by passing a number of wefts through the bottom warp to form a base to start from. Loosely piled knots of dyed wool or silk are then tied around consecutive sets of adjacent warps to create the intricate patterns in the rug. As more rows are tied to the foundation, these knots become the pile of the rug. Between each row of knots, one or more shots of weft are passed to tightly pack down and secure the rows. Depending on the fineness of the weave, the quality of the materials and the expertise of the weavers, the knot count of a hand made rug can vary anywhere from 16 to 550 knots per square inch. When the rug is completed, the warp ends form the fringes that may be weft-faced, braided, tasseled, or secured in some other manner. [edit] Looms Looms do not vary greatly in essential details, but they do vary in size and sophistication. The main technical requirement of the loom is to provide the correct tension and the means of dividing the warps into alternate sets of leaves. A shedding device allows the weaver to pass wefts through crossed and uncrossed warps, instead of laboriously threading the weft in and out of the warps. [edit] Horizontal Looms The simplest form of loom is a horizontal; one that can be staked to the ground or supported by sidepieces on the ground. The necessary tension can be obtained through the use of wedges. This style of loom is ideal for nomadic people as it can be assembled or dismantled and is easily transportable. Rugs produced on horizontal looms are generally fairly small and the weave quality is inferior to those rugs made on a professional standing loom. [edit] Vertical Looms Vertical looms are undoubtedly more comfortable to operate. These are found more in city weavers and sedentary peoples because they are hard to dismantle and transport. There is no limit to the length of the carpet that can be woven on a vertical loom and there is no restriction to its width. There are three broad groups of vertical looms, all of which can be modified in a number of ways: the fixed village loom, the Tabriz or Bunyan loom, and the roller beam loom. The fixed village loom is used mainly in Iran and consists of a fixed upper beam and a moveable lower or cloth beam which slots into two sidepieces. The correct tension is created by driving wedges into the slots. The weavers work on an adjustable plank which is raised as the work progresses. The Tabriz loom, named after the city of Tabriz, is used in North Western Iran. The warps are continuous and pass around behind the loom. Tension is obtained with wedges. The weavers sit on a fixed seat and when a portion of the carpet has been completed, the tension is released and the carpet is pulled down and rolled around the back of the loom. This process continues until the rug is completed, when the warps are severed and the carpet is taken off the loom. The roller beam loom is a traditional Turkish village loom, but is also found in Iran and India. It consists of two movable beams to which the warps are attached. Both beams are fitted with ratchets or similar locking devices and completed work is rolled on to the lower beam. It is possible to weave very long rugs by these means, and in some areas of Turkey rugs are woven in series. [edit] Tools In order to operate the loom, the weaver needs a number of essential tools: a knife for cutting the yarn as the knots are tied; a comb-like instrument for packing down the wefts; and a pair of shears for trimming the pile. In Tabriz the knife is combined with a hook to tie the knots which lets the weavers produce very fine rugs, as their fingers alone are too thick to do the job. A small steel comb is sometimes used to comb out the yarn after each row of knots is completed. This both tightens the weave and clarifies the design. A variety of instruments are used for packing the weft. Some weaving areas in Iran known for producing very fine pieces use additional tools. In Kerman, a saber like instrument is used horizontally inside the shed, and in Bidjar a heavy nail like tool is used. Bidjar is also famous for their wet loom technique, which consists of wetting the warp, weft, and yarn with water throughout the weaving process to make the elements thinner and finer. This allows for tighter weaving. When the rug is complete and dried, the wool and cotton expand to make the rug incredibly dense and strong. A number of different tools may be used to shear the wool depending on how the rug is trimmed as the rug progresses or when it is complete. Often in Chinese rugs the yarn is trimmed after completion and the trimming is slanted where the color changes, giving an embossed three-dimensional effect. [edit] The Knots Two basic knots are used in most Persian Carpets and Oriental rugs: the symmetrical Turkish or Ghiordes knot (used in Turkey, the Caucasus, East Turkmenistan, and some Turkish and Kurdish areas of Iran), and the asymmetrical Persian or Senneh knot (Iran, India, Turkey, Pakistan, China, and Egypt). To make a Turkish knot, the yarn is passed between two adjacent warps, brought back under one, wrapped around both forming a collar, then pulled through the center so that both ends emerge between the warps. The Persian knot is used for finer rugs. The yarn is wrapped around only one warp, then passed behind the adjacent warp so that it divides the two ends of the yarn. The Persian knot may open on the left or the right, and rugs woven with this knot are generally more accurate and symmetrical. Other knots include the Spanish knot looped around single alternate warps so the ends are brought out on either side and the Jufti knot which is tied around four warps instead.[20] [edit] Knotted pile carpets Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page. (January 2007) [edit] Flat-woven carpets Flat woven carpets are given their colour and pattern from the weft which is tightly intertwined with the warp. Rather than an actual pile, the foundation of these rugs gives them their design. The weft is woven between the warp until a new colour is needed, it is then looped back and knotted before a new colour is implemented. The most popular of flat-weaves is called the Kilim. Kilim rugs (along with jewellery, clothing and animals) are important for the identity and wealth of nomadic tribes-people. In their traditional setting Kilims are used as floor and wall coverings, horse-saddles, storage bags, bedding and cushion covers. Various forms of flat-weaves exist including: * Herati * Jajim * Kilim * Maleki * Sirjan * Soumak * Suzani [edit] Traditional centers of carpet production in Iran (Persia) The major classical centers of carpet production in Persia were in Tabriz (1500-1550), Kashan (1525-1650), Herat (1525-1650), and Kerman (1600-1650).[citation needed] The majority of carpets from Tabriz have a central medallion and quartered corner medallions superimposed over a field of scrolling vine ornament, sometimes punctuated with mounted hunters, single animals, or animal combat scenes. Perhaps the best-known of the Tabriz works are the twin Ardabil carpets most likely made for the shrine at Ardabil (today in the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Los Angeles County Museum). Kashan is known for its silk carpet production, most famously, for the three silk hunting carpet masterpieces depicting mounted hunters and animal prey (currently in the collections of the Vienna Museum of Applied Arts (aka the MAK), the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the Stockholm Museum). The Kashan carpets are among the most valuable in existence. The Herat carpets, or ones of similar design created in Lahore and Agra, India, are the most numerous in Western collections. They are characterized by a red field with scrolling vine ornament and palmettes with dark green or blue borders. The seven classes of Kerman carpet were defined by May Beattie. She identified their unique structure and named it the "vase technique." Carpet types in this group include garden carpets (ornamented with formal gardens and water channels) and the ogival lattice carpets. A fine and well-known example of the latter was purchased by the Victoria and Albert Museum under the guidance of William Morris. The influence of Persian carpets is readily apparent in his carpet designs. The Seraband rug is produced in Arak. [edit] Anatolian and Persian carpets Farsbâf (Senneh) Turkbâf (Ghiordes) The difference between Anatolian (Turkish) and Persian carpets is today largely one of tradition. Typically, a traditional Persian carpet is tied with a single looping knot (Persian or Senneh Knot), while the traditional Anatolian carpet is tied with a double looping knot (Turkish or Ghiordes Knot). This means that for every 'vertical strand' of thread in a carpet, an Anatolian carpet has two loops as opposed to the one loop for the various Persian carpets that use a Persian 'single' knot. Ultimately, this process of 'double knotting' in traditional Anatolian carpets results in a slightly more block like image compared to the traditional 'single knotted' Persian carpet. The traditional Anatolian style also reduces the number of Knots per sq cm.[citation needed] Today, it is common to see carpets woven in both Turkey and Iran using either of the two knot styles. When comparing carpets the only way to definitively identify the knot used is to splay open the pile by bending the rug against itself and looking at the base of the knot. See also: Knots per sq cm [edit] Types of Persian carpets & rugs Carpet dealers have developed a classification for Persian carpets based on design, type of fabric, and weaving technique. The categories are named for cities and areas associated with each design: * Abadeh * Afghan/Yomut (Turkmen) * Ahar * Afshar * Arak * Ardabil * Ardestan * Bakhtiari see also Afghan carpet * Beluch * Birjand * Brujerd * Chelaberd * Dorokhsh * Farahan * Ferdos * Ghayen * Gonabad * Gonbad Ghaboos * Gorgan * Hariz * Herat * Heriz * Isfahan * Joshghan * Jozan * Kashan * Kashmar * Kerman * Lilian * Mahan * Mahalat * Maku * Mamasani * Marand * Mashhad * Mazlaghan * Meshkin Shahr * Moshk Abad * Mood * Nain * Nishaboor * Rafsanjan * Ravar * Saraband * Sarab * Saraband * Sarukh * Semnan * Sha Savan * Shahre Kord * Shiraz * Shahr Reza * Qazvin * Qom * Tabriz * Tehran * Torghabeh * Veramin * Yalameh * Yazd * Zanjan * Zabol Rugs for a specific purpose include: * Hunting Scene Rugs A magic carpet, also called a flying carpet, is a legendary carpet that can be used to transport persons who are on it instantaneously or quickly to their destination. Contents [hide] * 1 In literature * 2 See also * 3 Notes * 4 External links [edit] In literature Magic carpets have appeared in literature from almost Biblical times through the present day. The popularity of One Thousand and One Nights brought magic carpets to the attention of Western audiences. The literary traditions of several other cultures also feature magical carpets. The magic carpet of Tangu, also called "Prince Housain's carpet" was a seemingly worthless carpet from Tangu in Persia that acted as a magic carpet. It was featured in tales from One Thousand and One Nights. Another of Vasnetsov's renderings of the same subject. Solomon's carpet[1] was reportedly made of green silk with a golden weft, sixty miles long and sixty miles wide: "when Solomon sat upon the carpet he was caught up by the wind, and sailed through the air so quickly that he breakfasted at Damascus and supped in Media."[2] The wind followed Solomon's commands, and ensured the carpet would go to the proper destination; when Solomon was proud, for his greatness and many accomplishments, the carpet gave a shake and 40,000 fell to their deaths.[3] The carpet was shielded from the sun by a canopy of birds. In Shaikh Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Tadifi al-Hanbali's book of wonders, Qala'id-al-Jawahir ("Necklaces of Gems"), Shaikh Abdul-Qadir Gilani walks on the water of the River Tigris, then an enormous prayer rug (sajjada) appears in the sky above, "as if it were the flying carpet of Solomon [bisat Sulaiman]".[4] In Russian folk tales, Baba Yaga can supply Ivan the Fool with a flying carpet or some other magical gifts (e.g., a ball that rolls in front of the hero showing him the way or a towel that can turn into a bridge). Such gifts help the hero to find his way "beyond thrice-nine lands, in the thrice-ten kingdom". Russian painter Viktor Vasnetsov illustrated the tales featuring a flying carpet on two occasions (illustrations, to the right). In Mark Twain's "Captain Stormfield's Visit to Heaven", magic wishing-carpets are used to instantaneously travel throughout Heaven. [edit] See also * King Solomon's Carpet - novel * Operation Magic Carpet - military operations * Steppenwolf (band) - song "Magic Carpet Ride" * Starik Khottabych, Soviet book and later 1956 film with the depiction of Flying Carpet * Asterix and the Magic Carpet - illustrated comic story book on the adventures of Asterix, Obelix and Cacofonix in India [edit] NotesWhen we talk about Persian carpet, the king of carpets, it is definitely a tale of magnificent art established over twenty-five hundred years. Through centuries, Persians the forefathers of carpet weaving have brought a regardful degree of excellence in today’s world. The Persian (Iranian) carpet, with its high quality, is holding a distinguishable place in the world of art attained by mankind in the history of the world. Today, with the explosion of population in a fast expanding industrial urban society, the relations of Persians with the hand woven carpets are as strong as ever. In fact, to give a soul to an Iranian home is to have it furnished by carpets, which is a reflection on the profound bond between the people and their national art. Persian carpets, from being simply articles of need, as simple as floor coverings, to protect the tribesmen from the cold and damp, has found new fans, lovers and wealthy owners, those who decorate their mansions and luxurious homes with this precious wealth. Therefore, in order to trace the history of Persian carpet, we have no choice than to follow a path of cultural growth of one of the finest and precious civilizations the world has the chance to recognize. The various designs, the talents of the weavers and the stable international market have made many people to invest their whole fortune in this fine art. Obviously, the gain of national acknowledgement for its artistic brilliance for many centuries, made its international presence in palaces, famous buildings, rich homes and museums throughout the world. Today, with over eleven millions people associating in this market, Iran carpet production is almost twice as much as all the other carpet making countries of the world put together. The mass export of carpet to the free port of Hamburg/Germany with over three hundred warehouses, each carrying over thousand and thousands of different sizes and designs of Persian carpets, is a good example of looking at the most strongest carpet market which has a complete control of all the European carpet markets. carpet-history-02.jpgContrary to the use of Persian carpets among the tribes in the early days, as an article of necessity for the aim of protection against the severe and distressing winters: this art is a symbol of luxury in the world today. Obviously, out of the necessity was born unique and unforgettable art. In those days, although the size of the carpet was often small and fully dependent upon the size of the tent or room in which the tribe men lived; it still require tremendous perseverance in order to weave one. It was a question of months of hard work. Later, the art of weaving carpets had moved to the stage of Craft guilds, with several artists on the same carpet for accelerating the production. Wool, taken from the herds of sheep, was the basic material used for the warp as well as the weft. Cotton was another natural material in making the warp and weft. The quality of wool was directly related to the climate that the herds of sheep were raised. This means that the colder climate would provide finer wool with longer fibre than the wool in the warmer climate. For colouring the basic material (wool & cotton), plants, insects and other substances had been used. The discovery of the earliest known Persian carpet (called pazyryk) by the Russian Professor Rudenko in 1949 in the Altai mountain in Siberia, gives us a trace of an early start of fifteen century B.C. Today, this purred preserved carpet is kept in the Hermitage museum of Leningrad. The original history of the Persian carpet goes back to the third century A.D. and continues until the twelfth century A.D., during the “Sassanian Dynasty” , the greatest period of weaving and appreciating of Persian carpets. In the thirteenth century, when the Mongols overran the country, the artistic life of Persia (Iran) as well as carpet weaving declined dramatically for almost three centuries. By the start of the “Safavid Dynasty” in the sixteenth century, after Shah Ismail occupied the throne, once again the art began to appear and soon it became a national industry. Shah Abbas, the most famous of the kings in the dynasty, brought this precious art to the cities and established a royal carpet factory in the capital, which was Isfahan at the time. carpet-history-03.jpgIt was at this time when precious metals (gold & silver) were used in weaving carpets for royalty. By the seventeenth century, the demand for luxury items increased dramatically. By the year of 1722, Shah Abbas lost the capital and the art of weaving carpet came to the end for the second time in history. The professional weavers lost their interest and the steering went to the hand of the newcomers. Cheap quality and meaningless designs of carpets were used which made the brilliance of the art to be forgotten. Until the mid nineteenth century, the mass export of carpets, in order of quantity not quality, put the Persian carpet industry at its lowest point ever. By the prompt action of the government for gathering all this low quality carpet brought a sense to the professional carpet weaver to show a come back reunion. It was then, when Iran instituted a school of design in the capital city Tehran, in order to state a professional class to this magnificent art. Today, after so many centuries of the first carpet, this art is known worldwide by the art-lovers, collectors as well as investors, royal, etc. In Iran, currently over eleven million people are occupied in this vast market. From weaving, designing, material preparing to marketing, exhibiting and exporting, are all done by the humble are-lovers and culture-savers of Iran. At last, it is important to recognize the fact that Persian carpet is not only an art, but also the various designs and colour combinations present the connection between the professional skills in art and the deeper thoughts in the life style; which creates masterpieces like the “Senneh Rug” dated close to the first century B.C.