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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& #39;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)
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)
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& #39;s still unknown who Maqsud was, and what exact role he played in the creation of the carpet. It& #39;s also worth noting that & #39;Kashani& #39; doesn& #39;t mean that the carpet was woven in Kashan (we& #39;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)
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& #39;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/">https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O543...
[Photographs are © V&A Museum and LACMA.] (7/7)
[Photographs are © V&A Museum and LACMA.] (7/7)
