How to Read Islamic Carpets

By Walter B. Denny

This engaging and accessible publication offers insights and novel perspectives on what is perhaps the most iconic of all Islamic art forms: the handwoven carpet. With a history stretching back to the fourteenth century and a geographic reach spanning from Europe to Mongolia and the Middle East, Islamic carpets boast a degree of innovation and technical skill that rival the world's most exalted works of art. Beauty and brilliance emerge in equal measure from carpets of all forms, whether colossal silk rugs exchanged as gifts by sultans and kings or small, sturdy textiles woven for use in nomadic encampments.

Some sixty superlative examples from the Metropolitan Museum's collection—from Persia, India, Turkey, North Africa, and across the Islamic world—are presented here in lavish detail, with concise texts that position each work in historical and cultural context. Beginning with a discussion of materials and techniques, How to Read Islamic Carpets offers a comprehensive introduction to this captivating art form, and reveals the lasting influence of carpet-weaving traditions in lands far beyond the Islamic world. This is an essential volume for students, professionals, and anyone who wants to understand the production, imagery, and history of these intricate textile arts produced as a part of a vibrant Islamic tradition.