Safavid  Carpet

Safavid Rulers are Turkic originated Persian dynasty Founded by Shah Ismail in 1502 – 1736

Safavid era considered as the golden age of carpet weaving in Persia, Safavid Rulers are supported arts, they gave special attention to carpet weaving. Shah Tahmasp was only ten when he succeeded to the throne of Persia in 1524 after the death of his father Shah Ismail. He was the second Safavid Shah , he established carpet workshops in his capital of Tabriz, as well as other cities of the country  that developed the basic style that would influence Persian carpet design to the present day.

The Ardabil carpets were completed in 1539–40, during the reign of the Safavid ruler Shah Tahmasp I (r.1524 - 76)(and they were originally laid in the Mosque of Ardabil, in the Iranian province of Azerbaijan, one of them now in Victoria & Albert museum in London the other one is in Los Angeles County Museum of Art, they are the extraordinary samples of the Safavid carpets of art.

Shah Abbas I the Great (r.1587 – 1629), reputedly a skilled weaver himself, established new court workshops in Isfahan where he had moved the capital in 1598.

He also set up many weaving workshops in Kashhan,  Tabriz, Ghazvin, Kerman, Josheghan , Karabagh , Kuba Safavid are also establish carpet workshops for Mughal Empire {1526-1707 } in  India, Specially, Agra, Lahore, as well as other suitable areas of India. The main categories of carpets in the Safavid era are classified by their design as follows: Medallion, vase, hunting scenery, tree and shrub, Herat and garden.

Regards,

Cevat Kanig