Weaving histories: cultural memory, similarity, and curatorial approach in the interpretation of Achaemenid and Safavid Persian carpets

Safaii Rad, Fatemeh

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Safaii Rad, Fatemeh (2025) Weaving histories: cultural memory, similarity, and curatorial approach in the interpretation of Achaemenid and Safavid Persian carpets. Doctoral thesis, London Metropolitan University.

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Abstract

I was born and raised in Iran, where my father; both a merchant and a passionate collector of Persian carpets; introduced me to the intricacies of this traditional art form. From an early age, he taught me the craft and symbolism of carpet weaving.
I remember visiting a carpet-making factory with him, watching weavers create intricate designs, many inspired by motifs from the Achaemenid era. Most featured a central medallion, often surrounded by palmettes reminiscent of those carved into the stone reliefs at Persepolis. I became especially fascinated by the medallion motif, which my father explained symbolised the sun. On a visit to Persepolis, he pointed out how motifs such as the medallion, palmette, lion, mythical creatures, and cedar tree have endured for centuries in Persian carpet design. These formative experiences sparked a deep connection to my heritage and a lifelong passion for Persian carpets.
My father often spoke with pride about the golden age of the Safavid dynasty (1501-1722) and its masterpieces such as the Ardabil and so-called Chelsea carpets, which drew heavily on Persepolis motifs. He explained the succession of Iranian dynasties from the Safavids to the Qajars (1796), and eventually to the Pahlavis (1925). The Pahlavi regime, established by Reza Shah, prioritised both modernisation and the promotion of Persian culture. Reza Shah and his son Mohammad Reza Shah saw Persian art and language as central to national identity. A pivotal moment in this cultural vision was the 1931 International Exhibition of Persian Art at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, curated by Arthur Upham Pope with Reza Shah’s support. Reza Shah also encouraged Iranian artists to study abroad, while Mohammad Reza Shah and Empress Farah Diba invested in preserving and curating Persian art, linking ancient and modern aesthetics.
The 1979 Iranian Revolution marked a turning point. The new regime distanced itself from pre-revolutionary aesthetics rooted in Achaemenid heritage, promoting instead a visual culture aligned with religious and nationalist ideologies. Yet the legacy of the Achaemenid Empire; with its syncretic symbolism and sophisticated governance - continues to resonate in Persian carpet design.
Although contemporary Iran is often viewed through a geopolitical lens, my thesis focuses on Persian culture which, stretching back millennia, transcends politics.. My research explores the meaning of motifs and designs in Persian carpets, their continuity, and their relevance for contemporary design and cultural identity. During my postgraduate studies in London, I visited the Victoria and Albert Museum to see the Ardabil Carpet. Since 2006, however, Persian carpets at the V&A have been reclassified and displayed in the Islamic Art section; a shift that reflects a broader trend of diminishing the use of the term “Persian” in favour of regional generalisations. This contrasts with curatorial practices at institutions like the British Museum, where Persian identity is more prominently acknowledged, as in the display there of the Oxus Treasure.
These observations, alongside perspectives from scholars such as Jules Prown (1982) and grounded in my own cultural background and autoethnographic methodology (Jones, Adams & Ellis, 2013), shaped the direction of this thesis. The tension between Prown’s material culture method and my positionality as an Iranian-born researcher is productive; it challenges how knowledge is constructed, who describes, who deduces, who speculates, and how memory can function as a legitimate epistemology in the study of material heritage.
I began developing this research by tracing the continuity of Persian carpet design, patterns, and motifs through fieldwork, museum visits, and interviews. I visited major institutions in London, New York, Paris, and St. Petersburg, critically analysing curatorial labels and display practices. I interviewed the curator at the V&A, interrogating their decisions to erase the term “Persian,” and conducted archival research at the V&A and the British Library. There, I found that many carpets were previously, prior to the opening of the Jameel Gallery in 2006, labelled as Persian.
This thesis is grounded in qualitative research (Mason, 2002; Ritchie & Lewis, 2003; Thompson, 2000) and a reflexive, autoethnographic approach. It argues that memory, identity, and material continuity offer powerful frameworks for understanding the cultural significance of Persian carpets and for challenging reductive curatorial narratives that obscure Persian heritage. In doing so it produces new knowledge around the material culture of the Persian carpet in that it encourages that these objects be read and understood both from scholary as well as intimate, personal, perspectives thus arguing for a vitally new, nuanced, understanding of items ‘in the round’.

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