How old is your Persian carpet?

Oriental carpet production dates back countless centuries, we can’t put an exact date on the precise origins of Persian carpets but one thing we do know is carpets of this quality were being produced in the 5^th century BC. How do we know this? We have evidence thanks to the Pazyryk carpet, a gem that was discovered just after the Second World War, it’s the oldest known surviving carpet in the world and it’s an absolute gem! Discovery of the Pazyryk carpet The Pazyryk carpet is living proof of the heritage of woven carpets, it was discovered by Russian archaeologist Sergei Rudenko in the Pazyryk Valley, preserved inside a Scythian burial mound. This exciting discovery was even more amazing thanks to the condition of the carpet and the fact that it was relatively complete. It would appear the grave it was buried in was disturbed at some point, this broke the seal which allowed moisture inside - the water froze and entombed the rug within its icy grasp. By sheer luck the rug was preserved and it survived for centuries to the benefit of mankind. History of the Pazyryk carpet Radiocarbon testing was used to verify the age of the carpet and the results indicated it was hand-woven in the 5^th Century BC. It is believed the oldest known example of carpet was woven specifically for a burial, the grave it was found in belonged to a Scythian prince so it doesn’t take a stretch of the imagination to assume it was painstakingly produced at great expense. The carpet measures 2m x 1.83m, it’s symmetrical in shape and woven into the design of the carpet are winged griffons, horses, antlered deer as well as an abstract of floral motifs. Carpets this old and this rare exceptional, if you want to see the Pazyryk carpet in person take a trip to The State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersberg, it’s worth the journey if you are as passionate about rugs as we are!