Persian “Ardabil” Carpet, ca. 1540 The Persians were among the first carpet weavers of ancient times and perfected the art over thousands of years. This wool carpet, reputably from the Safavid shrine at Ardabil, is one of only three signed and dated carpets from the Safavid period, when Persian carpetmaking was at its zenith. Hand knotted and hand dyed, it was royally commissioned with a traditional medallion design, consisting of a central sunburst medallion surrounded by radiating pendants. Inscribed on the carpet is an ode by the fourteenth-