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Ardabil Rugs

Ardabil is one of the important cities of Iran, which gained special prestige with the emergence of Sheikh Safi al-Din, a poet and mystic of the 8th century. This city enjoyed a special political and cultural position during the Safavid dynasty, with the title Dar al-Aman. The Safavid government was one of the most powerful kings, who, under the leadership of Shah Ismail I, ended many riots and established a religious and religious government.

Tomb of Sheikh Safi al-Din Ardebili

                                  Tomb of Sheikh Safi al-Din Ardebili

Ardabil rugs history

Ardabil is a city in northwestern Iran on the shores of the Caspian Sea. This city is located 220 km from Tabriz and near the border of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Ardabil is surrounded by the Sabalan, Talesh, and Bozghoush mountains and is one of the coldest cities in Iran. The word Ardabil is an Iranian word that has its roots in Avestan and means holy city.

ardabil-city

                                          Ardabil city

During the time of the Christian tsars, after the Russians invaded the Caucasus, many Russian Muslims migrated to Iran and settled in Ardabil due to its proximity. For this reason, Ardabil rugs are woven in a similar way to Caucasian designs. The distinctive feature of Ardabil rugs is the geometric patterns that can be seen in most urban and rural rugs. Ardabil is also an important region for the production of Shahsavan nomad rugs. Shahsavan rugs and kilims are very popular among people around the world. If you love buying Ardabil rugs, we have brought you the features of this rug below.

Ardabil rug

                                 Ardabil rug with modern colors

How to Identify Ardabil Rugs?

  • The knots of this rug are symmetrical knots.
  • The density of knots of Persian Ardabil rug is from 90,000 to 300,000 knots per square meter.
  • The piles are woolen and warp and weft are cotton.
  • The designs of Ardabil hand-woven carpet are geometric patterns with octagonal medallions.
  • They are usually thinner and lighter than rugs from other regions, such as Heriz rugs.
  • In the past, Ardabil rugs usually featured a small fish pattern with diamond-shaped medallion.
  • New Ardabil rugs also feature modern colors such as turquoise and purple in addition to beige, orange, and blue.
ardabil-rug

                                                      Ardabil rug

 

pile-of-Ardabl-rug

                                                   Pile of Ardabil rug

The Ardabil carpet at the Victoria and Albert Museum

The Ardabil carpet is a pair of exquisite Persian carpets woven during the reign of Shah Tahmasp Safavi for the tomb of his ancestor Sheikh Safi al-Din Ardebili. One of these rugs is now kept in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the other in the Los Angeles Museum of Art. This rug is so valuable that it is included in the list of 50 masterpieces of art in the world.

Ardabil rug

                                                     Persian  Ardabil rug

This carpet has a date and signature and was woven in 946 AH-1539 AD during the reign of Shah Tahmasp Safavi. Wool is the main material of a Ardabil rug and its warp and weft are silk. The knots of the rug are Persian or asymmetrical and the name of “Maqsood Kashani” is woven on it. Since this carpet was woven for the Sheikh al-Din Mosque, there are no human or animal motifs on it.

ardabil-rug

             Name, signature and date of the  Persian Ardabil carpet

In 1843, when two Englishmen visited the shrine of Sheikh Safi al-Din Ardebili, two Ardabil rugs were there. Three years later, the site was damaged by an earthquake, and the damaged carpets were purchased by the Ziegler Company, who were in the business of buying and selling carpets. The usable pieces of the carpet were reassembled, resulting in a whole, intact rug, while the other carpet remained without borders and was smaller. In 1892, the larger carpet was purchased by William Morris for the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Sheikh Safi Ardabil Carpet

Sheikh Safi Ardabil Carpet, Victoria and Albert Museum

Ardabil rug for sale

Ardabil carpets are high-quality rugs that have a lower knot density than other Iranian hand-knotted rugs. These carpets are quite sturdy and have a high standard. The price of Ardabil rugs is relatively low due to their coarse texture. In the Vernacarpets online collection, we have provided you with a collection of Ardabil rugs. These rugs are very suitable for modern decorations today due to their geometric designs. In this article, we have tried to introduce you a little to the handmade rugs of Ardabil. If you have any questions, suggestions, or comments, please share them with the experts of the collection.