ORIENTAL RUGS DICTIONARY

Pazyryk Carpet

This carpet was discovered in 1949 in a princely Scythian Tomb in the Pazyryk Valley, at the heart of Central Asia’s Altai Mountains, by a soviet team under the leadership of Rudenko. This work is the earliest nearly intact carpet preserved. It Carbon dates from the end of the 5th Century BC. The technique used, the quality of execution, and the complex symbolism of the ornamentation makes it a highly evolved piece. The exact origin of this carpet is the subject of considerable debate. The carpet is a part of the Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, collection.