Persian New Year: The Shrine Carpets of Mashhad

One of the world’s finest collections of Iranian carpets is the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad, Iran. This is of paramount historic importance because the shrine holdings were built up over centuries through pious donations, including Safavid and Mughal carpets gifted by major patrons such as Shah `Abbas I (1571-1629), and many later rulers. Nonetheless this wonderful collection remains largely unpublished. This lecture describes the recent establishment in Mashhad of new museum facilities, and Dr Maktabi’s role there as an advisor. His lecture will be fully illustrated, with new images of the shrine’s most beautiful and historic carpets.

Sponsored by HALI Magazine, the international journal of rug and textile art