Royal’ Tabriz pictorial carpet

The winged inscription cartouche in the additional lower outer stripe of this rare and unusual late Pahlavi period carpet names the Tabrizi
Designer NAMI and the weaver SOLHVAND. Both the central medallion and the main border show semi-realistic representations of famous
ancient tombs and shrines from Persian history, including the 6th century BCE tomb at Pasargadae of Cyrus the Great, founder of the
Achaemenid Dynasty, which is seen either side of a Taj Mahal-like tomb or mosque in the lower border. The equestrian figure shown in the side
borders is thought to be Shah Ismail, the founder of the Safavid Dynasty at the beginning of the 16th century, who chose Tabriz as his capital.