The Ardabil Carpet
Ardabil, North-west Iran
1539 - 1540
Hand knotted carpet in wool and silk
Width approx 535.5cm x length approx 1044cm
Museum no: 272-1893

Translation of text woven into carpet:
'Except for thy threshold, there is no refuge for me in all the world.
Except for this door there is no resting-place for my head.
The work of the slave of the portal, Maqsud Kashani.'

Maqsud was probably the court official charged with producing the carpets. He was not necessarily a slave in the literal sense but called himself one to express humility, while the word for 'portal' can be used for a royal court or a shrine. Perhaps Maqsud meant both, as in this case the court was the patron of the shrine.

The fourth line contains the date 946 in the Muslim calendar, which is equivalent to AD 1539 - 1540.