In class today, I was teaching the inscription on the Ardabil Carpet - it is this text which makes it the earliest dated carpet to survive. Seeing as there should be way more carpet content on Twitter, I thought I'd share it here too! (1/7) #carpetcontent

The first two lines are a couplet by Hafez:
جز آستان توام در جهان پناهی نیست
سر مرا بجز این در حواله گاه نیست
Except for your threshold, I have no refuge in the world.
Except for this door, my head has no resting-place. (2/7)

The next line gives a signature:
عمل بنده درگاه مقصود کاشانی
The work of the servant of the court, Maqsud-i Kashani (3/7)

Here, it should be noted that it's still unknown who Maqsud was, and what exact role he played in the creation of the carpet. It's also worth noting that 'Kashani' doesn't mean that the carpet was woven in Kashan (we're not sure where it was woven, either). (4/7)

Finally, right at the bottom, we get that all-important date:
سنه 946
The year 946.
946 is given in the Islamic (Hijri) calendar - this is equivalent to 1539-40 CE. (5/7)

You might also have noticed that there is a tear here & that the border doesn't quite line up. This is due to damage which the carpet sustained over its long life, but it was remodelled in the late-19thC before sale, with parts from its twin now in LACMA (right-hand photo). (6/7)

The date of 946, combined with the very high-quality design and production of the carpet, has contributed to it becoming one of the most well-renowned carpets in the world. More here: http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O54307/the-ardabil-carpet-carpet-unknown/
[Photographs are © V&A Museum and LACMA.] (7/7)

p.s. when I said 'in class today' I meant 'across the medium of Microsoft Teams today'. This was very much virtual, cross-continental carpet inscription reading.