Ottoman Court Carpet, Egypt or Turkey (made), 16th century. Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Date: 16th century (made)
Museum number: 148-1891
Gallery location: In Storage

Physical description
Ottoman court carpet
WARP: white wool; s4Z; 19-21 threads per inch (72-80 per dm); depressed.
WEFT: white wool; S spun, unplied; 3 or 4 parallel threads per shoot; 2 shoots after each row of knots; 8 knots per inch (30 knots per dm).
PILE: wool; 8 colours; red, yellow, green, light green, dark blue, blue, light blue, white (or very light yellow); asymmetrical knot open to the left
and tied around 2 threads; average of 80 knots per sq. inch (average 1140 knots per sq. dm).
SIDE FINISH: incomplete but evidence of one cord oversewn with dark brown wool.
END FINISH: missing
DESIGN: Field: red ground with central green roundel containing blossoms (rose buds, tulips, carnations, hyacinths, peonies?) on stems
growing from a central rosette. There is a quarter roundel in each corner with a blue ground. The ground covered with blossoms and leaves
on swirling stems.
Main border: red ground with a large, complex pattern of saz leaves and blossoms linked by curving stems.
Inner and outer border: yellow ground with light green and red flowers.
Museum number
148-1891
URL
http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O122055/carpet/