Fine antique carpets in world museums
Pazyryk carpet.
Origin: Persia, 5th century B.C
Collection of the Hermitage Museum, Leningrad
Turkish Knot: c. 360,000 knots per sq. m. (232 knots per sq. in.)

Although it was found in a Scythian burial-mound, most experts attribute it to Persia. Its design is in the same style as the sculptures of Perspolis, particularly the details of the double border decorated along the outside with horses and riders, twenty eight in number, a figure which corresponds to the number of males who carried the throne of Xerxes to Perspolis. On the inner border one can distinguish a row of elks (stags). The field, covered with squares patterned with large rosettes, is reminiscent of the alabaster paving from the palace of Assurbanipal, which can be seen in the British Museum.

Ardebil carpet.
Origin: North Persia or Kashan, 1539
Collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Dimensions: 1152 x 534 cm. (454 x 210 in.)
Persian Knot: 517,500 knots per sq. m (334 knots per sq. in), 69 knots per 10 cms. across 75 knots per 10 cms lengthwise
Warp of yellow silk
Double weft of yellow silk

This carpet is traditionally thought to have come from the mosque at Arbedil, where Sheikh Safi al-Din (1252 - 1334), the ancestor of the Safavid dynasty, and Shah Ismail, its founder, are buried. A second much smaller rug is to be found in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Of all the carpets known to us at present, this ranks, as the world's greatest. It belongs to the group known as 'medallion' carpets. The mosque lamps placed on either side of the medallions have been interpreted to mean that the carpet was intended to be used in a mosque.