Knot density: 160.000 knots/sqm Pattern: Lachak-Toranj Isfahan Medallion Origin: Isfahan Condition: top condition, washed Material: pile 100% wool - warp 100% cotton Isfahan Persian carpets Origin of the Isfahan carpets Among the finest, if not the finest, handmade carpets in the world, Isfahan carpets are the ultimate. They are known around the world for their delicacy and extreme beauty. The carpets woven in the city of Isfahan are well respected in the Persian carpet industry due to their rich ancient history and honorable reputation dating back to the 16th century. Most Isfahan rugs are popular with many and fetch higher retail prices due to their exceptional quality and elegant symmetry. There are many Isfahan rugs worldwide today that cost several hundred thousand dollars. Isfahan rugs definitely have one of the highest values ​​among Persian rugs and can compete with Tabriz and other fine Persian rugs. In a broader sense, any rug made in the larger area of ​​Isfahan Province is called an Isfahan rug insofar as it shares the general characteristics of the designs and weaving techniques established in Isfahan. It is important to mention that there are other cities in Isfahan province that have developed their own independent identity, so the carpets woven in these cities carry their own names and are not referred to as Isfahan carpets. A clear example of this exception is the category of Grandmother (North Wales)-Carpets that have a completely separate identity as they differ significantly from those from Isfahan. History of Isfahan carpets Both Tabriz and Isfahan were the capitals of Persia under the rule of the Safavids, who are considered to be one of the most powerful Persian dynasties. The Safavids were lovers of fine arts and architecture, and perhaps, with the exception of the Achaemenid period, there is no other period in Persian history when art and architecture were as advanced as under Safavid rule. During the long Safavid rule, the art of carpet weaving in the Persian Empire improved tremendously, and the fingerprints of this popular dynasty can be found throughout the carpets that survive from this period. The Safavids originally came from squirrel, a city in northern Persia in what is now Azerbaijan province, where there was a very rich carpet weaving tradition. When they chose Isfahan as their capital and moved there, a beautiful connection was immediately formed between the two rich Persian cultures, engaged in the art of carpet weaving and fine Persian architecture. The Safavid kings brought renowned master weavers and architects from Ardebil and Tabriz to Isfahan and commissioned them to create masterpieces of carpet weaving for the kingdom's court. Naturally, these master weavers met those from Isfahan, and new styles, designs, and techniques emerged as a result of the interaction between the two carpet cultures. Some of these patterns and motifs bore the names of these kings and are still used today in carpet weaving in both Tabriz and Isfahan. The famous Sheikh Safi design used to weave one of the most valuable surviving carpets, the Ardebil carpet, now in a London museum, bears the name of Sheikh Safi al-din, the founder of the Safavid dynasty, and is still used in the manufacture of carpets Iran copied. There are other famous designs bearing the names of Shah Abass, Shah Abbassi and Shah Ismail, Shah Ismaili and other famous kings of the Safavid dynasty. Although carpet weaving in Isfahan had a long tradition before the Safavids, there does not appear to have been any significant improvement until the Safavids moved the Persian capital to Isfahan and became deeply and personally involved in the art of carpeting, which was used either for the courts of the empire, was made as a gift to European rulers or as a source of income for the kingdom. The carpet workshops of the Safavid era in Isfahan were mainly located near the Allighapou where the kings resided. The surviving masterpieces of Isfahan carpets can be seen in the most famous museums in the world today. In particular, the silk carpets of the Safavid period were the most popular carpets of all and played an important role in the economy of the dynasty. After the fall of the Safavid dynasty, the carpet industry in Isfahan experienced a dramatic decline, so that at the end of the reign of Nasir al-din Shah from the Ghajar dynasty, there were no longer any active carpet workshops in Isfahan and only a few weavers sporadically made carpets in theirs made houses. Despite all the ups and downs, the hand-knotted carpet from Isfahan is now considered one of the most beautiful Persian carpets in the world and is one of the most popular carpets of the wealthiest people around the world. It's fair to say that Isfahan still makes the best carpets in the world. The ancient Persian kings had these carpets spread all over their palaces, on the floors and sometimes on the walls like precious paintings. Isfahan itself is a city steeped in history, which is responsible for much of the reputation that the name Persian carpet enjoys today. “Errors and mistakes excepted”