The History of the Pazyryk Carpet

Unearthed beneath an ice floe in the Pazyryk Valley in the Altai Mountains of Siberia, the Pazyryk Carpet was found in the grave of a Scythian prince in a rare archaeological excavation of the region in 1949, and is considered the oldest known carpet in the world. Radiocarbon testing showed that it was woven in the 5^th century BC.

Uniquely preserved, archaeologists were surprised by its advanced weaving technique for the time in which it was made. This indicated a long history of evolution and generations of experience. Persian carpet experts believe it to be the greatest achievement of over a thousand years of history. This means that Persian carpet-weaving has existed for over 3,500 years. Depicting a deer and Turkish horsemen, its dark red coloring is still vivid and remarkable. It measures 1.83×2 meters and has thirty six symmetrical knots per centimeter squared.

Where is it now?

In order to revive and develop the art of carpet-weaving in Iran, the Carpet Museum was founded in 1978 to honor one of the most distinguished manifestations of Iranian culture and art. The Museum was established with a limited number of Persian carpets and kilims, including the Pazyryk Carpet, which is still on display today.