More on Persian Rug History

Starting from when the Safavid rulers, we have concrete proof that Persians rugs were being produced not only in rural villages and among nomadic tribes, but in major trade centers as well.
In fact, historians have more than fifteen hundred examples of antique rugs from this era, preserved in private collections, palaces, and museums.

Shah Tahmasp , who came to power in 1524 when he was just twelve years old, became a huge patron of the arts and of Persian rugs in particular. His palace was a happening place for sculptors, painters, and master weavers. Although he did not form a workshop for weaving in the court itself, he helped fund production groups throughout the city and all around Persia.

Due to this diversity, some of the best and most intricate examples are from this Safavid period, and were often dispersed throughout the world as royal gifts.  Trade, crafts, and commerce prospered during this time, and the Persian carpet made inroads in Europe and quickly became very popular and a chic new way for European royals and courtiers to show off their wealth. They were especially fond of the more ostentatious silk and gold-thread carpets, and thus these forms of the art flourished.