London's V&A Museum: The Ardabil Carpet

Made in the town of Ardabil in north-west Iran, the Ardabil Carpet is the world's oldest dated carpet, as well as being one of the largest, most beautiful and historically important. While the exact origins of the carpet are unclear, it's believed to have been commissioned by the court for the shrine of Shaykh Safi al-Din Ardabili who died in 1334. The Shaykh was a Sufi leader and ancestor of Shah Ismail, founder of the Safavid dynasty (1501-1722). By the 16th century his tomb had became a place of pilgrimage