Context found in ardabil iran tradition no representation of animals or people just like other islamic art. The ardabil carpet it is hard to discuss ardabil with out discussing even briefly the ardabil carpet s. Stebbing, the holy carpet of the mosque at ardebil, london, 1892. Originally made for a mosques funerary shrine, it is now valued for its thickness from knots. It occurs in a lacquer book binding of 148283 dimand and mailey, fig. This enormous carpet is one of a matching pair, featuring a remarkably sophisticated design. The history of ardabil is deeply intertwined with sheikh safieddin ardebili and his safavid descendents. The ardabil carpet is the most famous persian carpet, which in fact is now a combination of two original mats, and today is kept in the victoria and albert museum in london. How many hand tied knots were per one inch square in ardabil carpet. Content two mosque lamps can be seen, one is slightly bigger than the other. The richness of near eastern art is epitomized by sixteenth and seventeenthcentury persian carpets. It was commissioned as one of a pair by the ruler of.
It is mentioned in the avesta, where prophet zoroaster was born by the aras river and wrote his book in the sabalan mountains. This carpet was made during the safavid dynasty 15011736, known for its significant patronage of art. The story of the ardabil carpet 2017 festival, the. Ardabil carpet, either of a pair of persian carpets that are among the most famous examples of early classical persian workmanship. The ardabil carpet if youre seeing this message, it means were having trouble loading external resources on our website. The ardabil carpet hung on the wall in this gallery for many years. The court of gaymar from book of the king was a gift for who. To one who is knowledgeable in carpets this name maybe draws the thoughts to the famous ardebil carpet in victoria and albert museum in london. Start studying ap art history midterm exam units 1 6. There was a time when the carpet industry, and the history of carpets, was taken seriously, and was well documented, with those involved writing books and learned articles on the subject, most.
The ardabil carpet was made for the funerary mosque of shaykh safi aldin but dates from two centuries after construction of the mosque. Ardabil is located on the baliqly chay river, about 70 km 43 mi from the caspian sea, and 210 km mi from the city of tabriz. Created for the shrine of shaykh safi aldin ardabili and dated to 153940, it is huge 34 feet by 17 feet, astonishingly densely knotted 340 knots per square inch, or almost thirty million knots in the whole carpet, and would have taken a team of. No study of them can be limited to their descrip tion, but must also make it possible to understand them in the context of persian history, including that of the shrine at ardabil. Persian carpet is the narrator of iranian art and cultures. In 2006, the museum created the case in the centre of the gallery so that the carpet could be seen as intended, on the floor. The shaykh was a sufi leader, ancestor of shah ismail, founder of the safavid dynasty 15011722. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Ardabil carpet and its mate in the victoria and albert museum, london, are products of the great flowering of the arts, particularly those of textile and the book. Considered as a pair of carpets, how does the ardabil design correspond with contemporary arts of the book, particularly gilt leather bookbindings and colourful. Persian carpet is the narrator of iranian arts and cultures. Word document 191 the ardabil carpet pdf 191 the ardabil carpet. Ardabil rugs are renowned and the ancient ardabil carpets are considered among the best of classical persian carpets. Persian carpet or iranian rug, a heavy textile for decoration or home use, is one of the main features of iranian culture and art as well as one of the leading exports.
Mosque lamps hang from two pendants, one lamp smaller than the other, larger lamp placed further away so it would appear same size as the smaller. It was commissioned as one of a pair by the ruler of iran, shah tahmasp, for the shrine of his ancestor, shaykh safi aldin, in the town of ardabil in northwest iran. The ardabil carpet is one of the oldest islamic carpets in the world. This province is believed to be as old as the achaemenid era ca. Except for thy threshold, there is no refuge for me in all the world. Among others the shirvan, karabach and gendje have patterns looking like the ardebil carpets.
Made during the safavid dynasty around 1539 ce with silk, wool, and natural dyes, the piece is an ornate depiction of islamic iconography and iranian history. The ardabil carpet is the worlds oldest dated carpet and one of the largest, most beautiful and historically important. They are examples of ardabil rugs, products of the safavid textile and manuscript influence. The northern province ardebil is located at the caspian sea. It was made in the town of ardabil in northwest iran, the burial place of shaykh safi aldin ardabili, who died in 34. Ap art history midterm exam units 1 6 flashcards quizlet. Medallion in center represents inside of dome with 16 pendants. The carpet of wonder in muscat required four years of labor, resulting in 12 million hours of work. Beyond its physical perfection, the history of the carpet is nothing short of astonishing, especially for iranians. Read and learn for free about the following article. Interpretation the medallion in the center of the carpet may represent a dome with 16 pendants. The ardabil carpets was purchased of an english carpet broker at the end of the 19th century and the lower field and border of one of the carpets used to restore the other.
The ardabil carpets ardebil carpets are a pair of famous persian carpets which made their. The last time we saw it, the rug needed a cleaning, but i am happy to report it. The breadth of the work has caused it to be called the first world history and its lavish illustrations and calligraphy required the efforts of hundreds of scribes and artists. Among the finest ever produced, the two ardabil carpets are believed to have been made as offerings for the shrine of sheikh safi at ardabil during the. History of carpet the history of british carpets by bertram jacobs 1968 is the definitive volume on the subject, published by the respected trade magazine cfr with the encouragement of the then editor harry tysser. The manufacture, history, and provenance of the two of the finest 16thcentury persian carpets ever produced.
A tale of two rugs master rug cleaner dallas, tx 214. This restored carpet was sold to victoria and albert museum in london. What is the four line inscription on ardabil carpet. For this reason, the ardabil carpet, as an object reproduced in drawings and photographs, including an 1892 catalogue that featured one of the earliest colour images of the ardabil carpet, has undoubtedly been a huge success story, becoming one of the most influential, known objects in the history of imitating carpets that is weaving. Thirty years or more later, the shrine suffered an earthquake, and the carpets were sold off, perhaps to raise funds for repairs. The jami altawarikh is a work of literature and history, produced by the mongol ilkhanate in persia. The carpet has been signed by muqsud kashani, and it contains the first couplet of a poem by iranian poet hafez. This comprehensive work on the ardabil carpets contains an extensive bibliography, but the information in the publications cited contributes little to the fundamental problems of the rugs, since in most instances it is based, directly or indirectly on two or three early books. Neighboring on the caspian sea and the republic of azerbaijan, it has been of great political and economic significance throughout history, especially within the. This carpet is manufactured in keshan, but was placed in the mosque in ardebil and eventually sold to raise money. Among the finest ever produced, the two ardabil carpets are believed to have been made as offerings for the shrine of sheikh safi at ardabil during the safavid dynasty in sixteenthcentury persia. It has an average altitude of 1,263 metres 4,144 ft and total area of 18.
Named for the city of ardabil in northwestern iran, the pair of carpets were made in the sixteenth century and used to decorate the funerary mosque of shayk safi. Breathtaking ardabil carpet applied to your home decor. Smarthistorys free, awardwinning digital content unlocks the expertise of hundreds of leading scholars, making the history of art accessible and engaging to more people, in. Ardabil, is an ancient city in iranian azerbaijan and is the center of ardabil province. Ardabil was the base of the safavi clan and the sufi order that they founded. The carpets were completed in 153940, during the reign of the. Ardebil carpets persian carpets carpet encyclopedia. The ardabil carpets ebook written by rexford stead. Ardabil carpets order your ardabil carpets online at.
The city of ardebil is also the capital in the province with the same name and is situated in the north of iran close by the caspian sea. The safavid rulers commissioned exquisite objects and buildings, from mosques and palaces, to illustrated books and textiles. This city has a history dating back more than 1,500 years. Ardabil carpet, maqsud kashani, iran, possibly tabriz, dated 153940 a. The city and the province give this persian carpet its name. While recent islamic carpet history studies have lead to the understanding that the art of weaving was typically predominantly created by women at home. The history of the ardebil carpet sheikh safi aldin.
Ardabil carpet, a name applied chiefly to a persian carpet acquired by the victoria and albert. Their patterns are similar to some other carpets of the caucasian region. If youre behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains. The ardabil carpet is one of the largest and finest islamic carpets in existence.
1289 602 1097 528 579 1212 141 1125 1194 147 104 1035 986 233 29 1028 288 539 1094 1519 1374 1455 601 1478 708 556 933 236 745 888 567 344 1089 219 785