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Tehran,(MNA) —Iran unveiled what it said was the world largest handwoven carpet, worth
$5.8 million and larger than a football field, to be laid out in a United Arab Emirates
mosque, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported. The carpet, adorned with green and
cream colors, was made in 18 months from 38 tons of wool and cotton by 1,200 weavers
from three villages in northeastern Iran, said the head of Iran"s state carpet company,
Jalaleddin Bassam.
It is to be spread out in the mosque in UAE capital Abu Dhabi that bears the name of
UAE president and founder Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahayan.
The carpet, measuring 5,625 square meters (60,546 square feet), was made up of nine
pieces which will be stitched together in the UAE to cover the floor of the central praying
area of the massive mosque.
There are 2.2 billion knots in the carpet, which was made with the best wool from the
southern Iranian town of Sirjan and from New Zealand in 25 colors using 20 different
natural dyes, Bassam said.
The dominantly green and cream carpet bears the classic Persian motifs of scrolling
vine networks and five medallions, symmetrical centrepieces, which alone measure
seven meters (23 feet) to 20 meters (66 feet) wide.
It was rolled out for the first time in Tehran"s vast open air prayer ground, the
Mosalla, where photographers had to board helicopters for a full view and onlookers
appeared as matchsticks on the immensity of the carpet.
Several trucks were needed to take the carpet for the showing in Tehran while it will
go to the United Arab Emirates by air in two separate planeloads.
"Four groups will be sent to the UAE for the fitting and cleaning of the carpet which
has been insured from the start of weaving until delivery," Bassam said, without giving
any details about the delivery time.
He added that the contract was worth $5.8 million, with $2.3 million heading to the
villages where the carpet was made near the town of Neishabbor in Khorasan province.
"Iran is in talks to make similar carpets for Oman and other Persian Gulf countries,"
he said.
The completion of the carpet for such an important mosque marks a major coup for
the Iranian handwoven carpet industry, at a time of unprecedented challenges in the
sector.
Despite their appeal and undisputed finesse, Persian carpets face a rising
competition from Asian countries where labour is cheaper. Their share in the world
market has dwindled to 40%, standing at $480 mln in 2006. Iran"s top earning non-oil
export industry employs more than two mln people in dying the fibres, weaving, or selling
the carpets in bazaars or exporting them.
$5.8 million and larger than a football field, to be laid out in a United Arab Emirates
mosque, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported. The carpet, adorned with green and
cream colors, was made in 18 months from 38 tons of wool and cotton by 1,200 weavers
from three villages in northeastern Iran, said the head of Iran"s state carpet company,
Jalaleddin Bassam.
It is to be spread out in the mosque in UAE capital Abu Dhabi that bears the name of
UAE president and founder Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahayan.
The carpet, measuring 5,625 square meters (60,546 square feet), was made up of nine
pieces which will be stitched together in the UAE to cover the floor of the central praying
area of the massive mosque.
There are 2.2 billion knots in the carpet, which was made with the best wool from the
southern Iranian town of Sirjan and from New Zealand in 25 colors using 20 different
natural dyes, Bassam said.
The dominantly green and cream carpet bears the classic Persian motifs of scrolling
vine networks and five medallions, symmetrical centrepieces, which alone measure
seven meters (23 feet) to 20 meters (66 feet) wide.
It was rolled out for the first time in Tehran"s vast open air prayer ground, the
Mosalla, where photographers had to board helicopters for a full view and onlookers
appeared as matchsticks on the immensity of the carpet.
Several trucks were needed to take the carpet for the showing in Tehran while it will
go to the United Arab Emirates by air in two separate planeloads.
"Four groups will be sent to the UAE for the fitting and cleaning of the carpet which
has been insured from the start of weaving until delivery," Bassam said, without giving
any details about the delivery time.
He added that the contract was worth $5.8 million, with $2.3 million heading to the
villages where the carpet was made near the town of Neishabbor in Khorasan province.
"Iran is in talks to make similar carpets for Oman and other Persian Gulf countries,"
he said.
The completion of the carpet for such an important mosque marks a major coup for
the Iranian handwoven carpet industry, at a time of unprecedented challenges in the
sector.
Despite their appeal and undisputed finesse, Persian carpets face a rising
competition from Asian countries where labour is cheaper. Their share in the world
market has dwindled to 40%, standing at $480 mln in 2006. Iran"s top earning non-oil
export industry employs more than two mln people in dying the fibres, weaving, or selling
the carpets in bazaars or exporting them.
