Content Area 7: West and Central Asia

500 B.C.E.–1980 C.E. (11 WORKS)

Introductions to Islamic Art and Architecture

181​. Petra, Jordan: Treasury and Great Temple. Nabataean Ptolemaic and Roman. c. 400
B.C.E.–100 C.E. Cut rock. Treasury – façade approx. 131’ tall

- The rock-cut façades are the iconic monuments of Petra. Of these, the most famous is the
Treasury (Khazneh), which appeared in the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, as the
final resting place of the Holy Grail.
-Petra is an ancient ruin in Jordan first built upon by the Ptolemaic rulers and later expanded by
the Romans
-The site was constructed between 400 BCE and 100 CE
-Nabateans were the people who inhabited this ancient city

Form:
-The entire city has been carved into the rock face
-The ability of ancient people to carve such a large building still confounds modern engineers
-The Treasury’s façade is 24.9 meters wide and 38.77 meters high
-The style most clearly embodies the Hellenistic style and reflects the influence of Alexandria,
the greatest city in the Eastern Mediterranean at this time.
-Its architecture features a broken pediment and central circular building on the upper level
-This architectural element originated in Alexandria.
-Ornate Corinthian columns are used throughout
-Above the broken pediments, the bases of two obelisks appear and stretch upwards into the
roc

Function:
-This was a functioning city, and had all the necessary facilities to be one
-The main buildings are the Temple, Treasury, and the tombs
-The city was a major trading hub because of its central position in the cradle of early civilization
-The city had several open spaces to facilitate trade from traveling merchants
-The prominence of the tombs in the landscape led early explorers and scholars to see Petra as
a large necropolis (cemetery)
-However, archaeology has shown that Petra was a well-developed metropolis with all of the
trappings of a Hellenistic city

Content:
-The tomb facades draw upon a rich array of Hellenistic and Near Eastern architecture
-Their architecture reflects the diverse and different cultures with which the Nabateans traded,
interacted
-Many of the tombs contain niches or small chambers for burials, cut into the stone walls
-No human remains have ever been found in any of the tombs, and the exact funerary practices
of the -Nabataeans remain unknown
-The treasury was exceptional for its figurative detail and ornate Hellenistic architectural orders

Context:
-The dating of the tombs has proved difficult
-There are almost no finds, such as coins and pottery, that enable archaeologists to date these
tombs
-A few inscriptions allow us to date some of the tombs at Petra, although at Egra, another
Nabataean site (in modern Saudi Arabia), there are thirty-one dated tombs.
-Today scholars believe that the tombs were probably constructed when the Nabateans were
wealthiest between the second century B.C.E. and the early second century C.E.
-Archaeologists and art historians have identified a number styles for the tomb facades, but they
all co-existed and cannot be used date the tombs.
-The few surviving inscriptions in Nabataean, Greek, and Latin tell us about the people who
were buried in the tombs.
182​. Buddha. Bamiyan, Afghanistan. Gandharan. c. 400–800 C.E. (destroyed in 2001). Cut rock
with plaster and polychrome paint, 175’.

Form & Function:

- high relief sculptures
- carved into cliff face but feet and head in the round
- allowed worshippers to circulate
- circumambulation is a common form of worship and meditation in buddhism
- surrounding monasteries might have come to the caves to pray

Content:
- 2 monumental figures carved into the cliff face facing the valley
- western buddha (Buddha Varaichona) stood 175 ft tall
- eastern buddha (Buddha Shakyamuni) stood 120 ft tall
- described by writings of Chinese monk as covered in metal and other semi-precious
decorative materials
- statues wore wooden masks covered in brass featuring facial features
- pigments were applied to the stucco
- cross cultural connections and influences
- combined Hellenistic style with Indian images
- greek drapery in robes
- painted statues like in ancient greece
-greek hairstyles (wavy hair)

Context:
- Bamiyan Valley in Afghanistan was a stop on the Silk Route
- along with fertile land, ideal location for merchants and missionaries to stop
- plurality and lax nature of buddhist worship created pretext for buddhist cave architecture
- 1000 buddhist caves along 1300 meters of cliff face in Bamiyan
- destroyed in 2001
- taliban's iconoclastic campaign
- backlash to western interest and funding for maintenance
- falsely claimed as an islamic act; Bamiyan was muslim by 10th century yet maintained
statues
- only niches and faint outlines remain

183​. The Kaaba. Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Islamic. Pre-Islamic monument; rededicated by
Muhammad in 631–632 C.E.; multiple renovations. Granite masonry, covered with silk curtain
and calligraphy in gold and silver-wrapped thread, 43’ high.

Form:
The Kaaba, meaning cube in Arabic, is a square building elegantly draped in a silk and cotton
veil. Located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, it is the holiest shrine in Islam.
Function:
I​n Islam, Muslims pray five times a day and after 624 CE, these prayers were directed towards
Mecca and the Kaaba rather than Jerusalem; this direction—or qibla in Arabic—is marked in all
mosques and enables the faithful to know in which direction they should pray. The Qur‘an
established the direction of prayer.
All Muslims aspire to undertake the hajj, or the annual pilgrimage, to the Kaaba once in their
lives if they are able. Prayer five times a day and the hajj are two of the five pillars of Islam, the
most fundamental principles of the faith.

Upon arriving in Mecca, pilgrims gather in the courtyard of the Masjid al-Haram around the
Kaaba. They then circumambulate—tawaf in Arabic—or walk around the Kaaba, during which
they hope to kiss and touch the Black Stone—al-Hajar al-Aswad—embedded in the eastern
corner of the Kaaba.

Content:
Today, the Kaaba is a cubical structure, unlike almost any other religious structure. It is fifteen
meters tall and ten and a half meters on each side; its corners roughly align with the cardinal
directions. The door of the Kaaba is now made of solid gold; it was added in 1982. The
kiswa—the large cloth that covers the Kaaba—used to be sent from Egypt with the hajj caravan
but today is made in Saudi Arabia. Until the advent of modern transportation, all pilgrims
undertook the often dangerous hajj, or pilgrimage, to Mecca in a large caravan across the
desert, leaving from Damascus, Cairo, and other major cities in Arabia, Yemen, or Iraq.
Context:
The Kaaba was a sanctuary in pre-Islamic times. Muslims believe that Abraham—known as
Ibrahim in the Islamic tradition—and his son, Ismail, constructed the Kaaba. Tradition holds that
it was originally a simple unroofed rectangular structure. The Quraysh tribe, who ruled Mecca,
rebuilt the pre-Islamic Kaaba in c. 608 CE with alternating courses of masonry and wood. A
door was raised above ground level to protect the shrine from intruders and flood waters.

Muhammad was driven out of Mecca in 620 CE to Yathrib, which is now known as Medina.
Upon his return to Mecca in 629/30 CE, the shrine became the focal point for Muslim worship
and pilgrimage. The pre-Islamic Kaaba housed the Black Stone and statues of pagan gods.
Muhammad reportedly cleansed the Kaaba of idols upon his victorious return to Mecca,
returning the shrine to the monotheism of Ibrahim. The Black Stone is believed to have been
given to Ibrahim by the angel Gabriel and is revered by Muslims. Muhammad made a final
pilgrimage in 632 CE, the year of his death, and thereby established the rites of pilgrimage.
184.​ Jowo Rinpoche, enshrined in the Jokhang Temple. Lhasa, Tibet. Yarlung Dynasty.
Believed to have been brought to Tibet in 641 C.E. Gilt metals with semiprecious stones, pearls,
and paint; various offerings.

Form:
Statue made of gilt metal
The effect is an image of gold hue with shocking blue hair

Function:
Clearly great religious & cultural importance to the people of Tibet (as seen through its
restoration and veneration over 1300 years)
To act as the Buddha’s proxy after his parinirvana or departure from the world
So the religious significance of this buddha comes from its likeness of the Buddha as well as it
having been carved by vishwakarma (the architect)
641 CE - a chinese princess is said to have brought it to tibet as part of her marriage dowry to
emperor songtsen gampo
Same time period as was found the earliest evidence of the sculpture
This date also coincides with the foundation of buddhism in tibet

Content:
Jowo Shakyamuni or Jowo Rinpoche
Rinpoche = “precious one” in the Tibetan language
A larger than life-size image of the historical buddha
Housed in the jokhang temple in lhasa, tibet
Today, seated against a resplendent gold & bejeweled throne
Seated with his legs in the lotus position or padmasana
His left hand is in the mudra (hand gesture) of meditation (dhyana mudra)
His right hand is in the gesture of “calling the earth to witness” (bhumisparsha mudra)
Together, the hand postures signify the moment of the buddha’s enlightenment
Shown in a thin monk’s robe
When dressed, the jowo shakyamuni is presented with a jeweled crown & robes

Context:
Thousands of existing buddha images in the world today
Of varying mediums and sizes
Buddha shakyamuni
Buddhism was founded by one individual: siddhartha gautama, in the 6th or 5th century BC
This man, also known as Shakyamuni
Only one school of buddhism at this time (taught by the buddha)
The sculpture has undergone restoration/reconstruction over the years
Most recently, during the Cultural Revolution
Unknown to what it originally looked like in the 7th century when it was made
Yet the crown & robes that it is wearing today are known to be much later additions
Considered the most sacred & important buddha image in tibet
it’s believed to have been carved by the celestial architect (vishwakarma) in india during
buddha’s lifetime
Potentially sculpted from a life portrait of buddha
The invention of the buddha image dates to after the turn of the first century CE - with the
advent of mahayana buddhism during the kushan dynasty
And this sculpture doesn’t conform to the stylistic conventions of early buddha images
So, not a sculpted-from-life portrait and not one of the earliest images of the buddha, it does
hold cultural & religious importance
Evidenced by its continued veneration, its dressing for special occasions & feeding it (as if it
were real)
What makes it “more sacred” than another buddha?
Its purported direct lineage to the buddha
The belief that it is the most accurate portrait of the buddha

185.​ Dome of the Rock. Jerusalem, Palestine. Islamic, Umayyad. 691–692 C.E., with multiple
renovations. Stone masonry and wooden roof decorated with glazed ceramic tile, mosaics, and
gilt aluminum and bronze dome. Dome 75’ tall.

Form:
At the center of the Dome of the Rock sits a large rock, which is believed to be the location
where Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac. Today, Muslims believe that
the Rock commemorates the night journey of Muhammad. One night the Angel Gabriel came to
Muhammad while he slept near the Kaaba in Mecca and took him to al-Masjid al-Aqsa (the
farthest mosque) in Jerusalem. From the Rock, Muhammad journeyed to heaven, where he met
other prophets, such as Moses and Christ, witnessed paradise and hell and finally saw God
enthroned and circumambulated by angels.

Function:
Mosque
Place of worship

Content:
The Dome is located on the Haram al-Sharif, an enormous open-air platform that now houses
Al-Aqsa mosque, madrasas and several other religious buildings. Few places are as holy for
Christians, Jews and Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif. It is the Temple Mount, the site of the
Jewish second temple, which the Roman Emperor Titus destroyed in 70 CE while subduing the
Jewish revolt; a Roman temple was later built on the site. The Temple Mount was abandoned in
Late Antiquity.

An aerial view of the walkways around the rock.

Figure 4. Looking down on the rock (Sakhrah) in the center of the Dome of the Rock

The Rock is enclosed by two ambulatories (in this case the aisles that circle the rock) and an
octagonal exterior wall. The central colonnade (row of columns) was composed of four piers and
twelve columns supporting a rounded drum that transitions into the two-layered dome more than
20 meters in diameter.

The colonnades are clad in marble on their lower registers, and their upper registers are
adorned with exceptional mosaics. The ethereal interior atmosphere is a result of light that
pours in from grilled windows located in the drum and exterior walls. Golden mosaics depicting
jewels shimmer in this glittering light. Byzantine and Sasanian crowns in the midst of vegetal
motifs are also visible.
The mosaics in the Dome of the Rock contain no human figures or animals. While Islam does
not prohibit the use of figurative art per se, it seems that in religious buildings, this proscription
was upheld. Instead, we see vegetative scrolls and motifs, as well as vessels and winged
crowns, which were worn by Sasanian kings. Thus, the iconography of the Dome of the Rock
also includes the other major pre-Islamic civilization of the region, the Sasanian Empire, which
the Arab armies had defeated.

The building enclosing the Rock also seems to take its form from the imperial mausolea (the
burial places) of Roman emperors, such as Augustus or Hadrian. Its circular form and Dome
also reference the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. The circular Church of the Holy Sepulcher in
Jerusalem was built to enclose the tomb of Christ. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the
Dome of the Rock have domes that are almost identical in size; this suggests that the elevated
position of the Dome of the Rock and the comparable size of its dome was a way that Muslims
in the late 8th century proclaimed the superiority of their newly formed faith over Christians.
The Dome of the Rock also contains an inscription, 240 meters long, that includes some of the
earliest surviving examples of verses from the Qur‘an—in an architectural context or otherwise.
The bismillah (in the name of God, the merciful and compassionate), the phrase that starts each
verse of the Qu’ran, and the shahada, the Islamic confession of faith, which states that there is
only one God and Muhammad is his prophet, are also included in the inscription. The inscription
also refers to Mary and Christ and proclaim that Christ was not divine but a prophet. Thus the
inscription also proclaims some of the core values of the newly formed religion of Islam.

Below the Rock is a small chamber, whose purpose is not fully understood even to this day. For
those are fortunate enough to be able to enter the Dome of the Rock, the experience is moving,
regardless of one’s faith.

Context:
Between the death of the prophet Muhammad in 632 and 691/2, when the Dome of the Rock
was completed, there was intermittent warfare in Arabia and Holy Land around Jerusalem. The
first Arab armies who emerged from the Arabian peninsula were focused on conquering and
establishing an empire—not building. Thus, the Dome of the Rock was one of the first Islamic
buildings ever constructed. It was built between 685 and 691/2 by Abd al-Malik, probably the
most important Umayyad caliph, as a religious focal point for his supporters, while he was
fighting a civil war against Ibn Zubayr. When Abd al-Malik began construction on the Dome of
the Rock, he did not have control of the Kaaba, the holiest shrine in Islam, which is located in
Mecca.
186​. Great Mosque (Masjid-e Jameh). Isfahan, Iran. Islamic, Persian: Seljuk, Il-Khanid, Timurid
and Safavid Dynasties. c. 700 C.E.; additions and restorations in the 14th, 18th, and 20th
centuries C.E. Stone, brick, wood, plaster, and glazed ceramic tile, area 4.94 acres.
-Detail – Muqarnas, South or Quibla Iwan, main mihrab reserved for ruler, built by Nizam
al-Mulk, dome by Safavid architect Ebrahim B. Esmail.
​Form:
The present mosque is made up of additions, expansions, and modifications that span over
1000 years.
Made up of a large central courtyard surrounded by a two story arcade
Brick piers and columns which support the roof system.
The mosque is a four iwan design
Iwan- vaulted, or open space on three sides, last one open
One is primarily used as a private space used by the sultan and adorned with tiles
4 of them open up to the courtyard
Inscriptions on walls
Centrally planned
Makes use of gold and blue

Function:
To bring people to pray away from busy streets.
Unite the community (umma)
The mosque's location in the heart of the city makes it a center for gathering and transportation
and is therefore much more than a mere space for prayer
Commercial activity

Content:
Calligraphy covers the arches and walls representing intellectual beauty.
Has towering minarets for the call to prayer.
Interior is a hypostyle hall
Vaults, some ribbed bring in light and ventilation
The dome undersides (soffits) are carved with intricate geometric designs and have an oculus
Bricks and stucco motifs, and tilework adorn the space in addition to calligraphy
muqarnas- traditional Islamic cusped niches
Isfahan's covered bazaar connects to the mosque

Context:
The mosque is located in Isfahan, the third most populous region in Iran and the capital of the
eponymous province.
The mosque has urbanized over time to accommodate population increases
Some of the ruling groups of Isfahan include Il-Khanid, Timurid, Safavid, and Qajar
The mosque visually embodies the visual tastes and political dynasties of the Persian empire
Original plan comes from 11th century when the Seljuk Turks established Isfahan as their
capital
Malik Shah I (ruled 1072-1092) built the four-iwan design
Nizam al-Mulk (commissioned the dome in 1086) and Taj al-Mulk, two rulers of Isfahan, fought
for legacy by trying to create the best dome above the iwans. Their domes are opposite each
other.

187​. Folio from a Qur’an. Arab, North Africa, or Near East. Abbasid. c. eighth to ninth century
C.E. Ink, color, and gold on parchment. AP image fragment in Arabic, before 911, vellum, MS M.
712, fol 20r, 9” x 6 ¼”, The Morgan Library and Museum, New York

​Form:
The Folio is part of the Qur’an which is the sacred text of Islam

Two page spread Qur’an manuscript

The Qur’an is written on parchment in blank ink with a broad-nibbed reed pen

It is written in Arabic which is the language of the divine word of Islam

The Qur’an is read from left to right

The text of the sura is divided into verses by triangles made up of 5 gold circles which is located
at the end of each verse
The title of each sura is written in gold ink, which is surrounded by a rectangle filled with a
golden vine

This allows readers to quickly locate the beginning of each sura

Function:
This book was used for sacred rituals and recitations

The Qur’an which means “recitation” suggests that the manuscripts were secondary importance
to oral tradition

Heavily decorated for ceremonial purposes

The Qu’ran is the central part of Islam and the Islamic faith revolves around this book

Content:
Human and animal forms was considered inappropriate for the ornamentation of sacred
monuments and objects, artists relied on vegetal and geometric motifs when they decorated
mosques and sacred manuscripts

The Qur’an consists of the divine revelation to the Prophet Muhammad in Arabic

The words on the Qur’an translate as rays of light for the people who read and recite the
recitations Piece from “The Spider” a text in the Qur’an

Translation: “So each We punished for his sin; of them was he on whom We sent down a violent
storm, and of them was he whom the rumbling overtook, and of them was he whom We made to
be swallowed up by the earth, and of them was he whom We drowned; and it did not beseem
Allah that He should be unjust to them, but they were unjust to their own souls.
The meaning of this passage can be interpreted as if you do betray the words of Allah you will
never be at peace

Context:
Huge part of the daily lives of people of Islamic faith and is still is to this day

Very high value and prosperity in the religion

Along with the flourishing of the Islamic faith there were advancements happening in the
intellectual community

It was a luxury to have such a fine inscripted object

The scribes who illustrated these books were valued in their community for their stylistic abilities

Some say the owner of this book could have been from a royal lineage
188​. Basin (​Baptistère de St. Louis​). Muhammad ibn al-Zain. c. 1320–1340 C.E. Brass inlaid
with gold and silver, 8 ¾” x 19 ¾”. Musee du Louvre, Pairs, France.

Form:
- Mohammed ibn al-Zain (Egyptian or Syrian)
- Brass inlaid with gold and silver
- very expensive materials
- bowl used for religious ceremonies

Function:
​Originally used for washing hands at official ceremonies
- later used for french royal family baptisms

Content:
people used this bowl to wash or purify themselves before the ceremonies
- later was used by royal families for baptisms
-adapted from its original use
- people of the time valued the inlaying of metals because it was very difficult to do
- also used very expensive materials to show the wealth

Context:
shows people hunting alternating with battle scenes along the side; Mamluk hunters and mongol
enemies
- shows the conflict between the two groups
- bottom of bowl decorated with fish, eels, crabs, frogs, and crocodiles
189​. ​Bahram Gur Fights the Karg​, folio from the Great Il-Khanid ​Shahnama​. Islamic; Persian,
Il’Khanid. c. 1330–1340 C.E. Ink and opaque watercolor, gold, and silver on paper, 16 5/16” x
11 13/16”. Fogg Museum, Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Form:
Large painted surface area
calligraphy diminished
spatial recession indicated by overlapping planes
atmospheric perspective seen in light bluish background
similar to illuminated manuscript
Areas of flat color
Script is created to seem continuous; very flowing language

Function:
Recounts the tale of Bahram Gur's battle with the Karg using illustration and textual description

Content:
Representation of the ideal king
Shows mix of Chinese and European influences
Bahram Gur wears a crown and a golden halo, which shows influence by Western Christian
depictions of Jesus
Bahram Gur's garment seems to be made of European fabric
Chinese landscape conventions are visible in the background

Context:
Part of a Persian manuscript entitled "Shahnama," which translates to Book of Kings
Bahram Gur was an ancient Iranian king of the Sassanian dynasty
The Karg was a mythical beast that was sometimes depicted as a unicorn, or a wolf, or a
rhinoceros; here it is a combination of the three
According to legend, Bahram Gur fought the Karg during his travels to India
Calligraphy is not always the same; all calligraphers have very distinct styles
190​. ​The Court of Gayumars​, folio from Shah Tahmasp’s ​Shahnama​. Sultan Muhammad. c.
1522–1525 C.E. Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper, page size 18 ½” x 12 ½”. Aga Khan
Museum. Toronto, Canada.

Form:
Shows harmony between man & landscape
Minute details do not overwhelm harmony of scenery

Function:
Depicting a secular/mythological scene, rather than religious scene
Figures and animals ok because it is not religious

Content:
Excerpt shows first king, Gayumars, enthroned before his community
On the left is his son Siyamaki
On the right is his grandson Hishang
His court appears in a semi-circle below him
His court are all in court attire, for example wearing leopard skins

Context:
The angel, Surush, tells Gayumars that his son will be murdered by the Black Div
The Black Div is the son of the demon Ahriman
A page from the Shahnama, translating to the "Book of Kings"
Shahnama is a Persian epic poem by Firdawsi
Shahnama tells the history of Persia
The whole book contains 258 illustrated pages
191​. The Ardabil Carpet. Maqsud of Kashan. 1539–1540 C.E. Silk and wool, 34’6” x 17’6”.
Victoria and Albert Museum, London, England.

Form:
Silk Warps and Wefts with wool pile (25 million knots, 340 per sq. inch)

The pile of carpet is made from wool, rather than silk because it holds dye better.
The more knots per sq. centimeter, the more detailed and elaborate the patterns can be

The dyes used to color the carpet: are natural, include pomegranate rind and indigo
Up to 10 weavers working at a time on the carpet

Function:
Fundamental examples of Islamic art— made of silk and wools, carpets were traded and sold
across Islamic lands and into China and Europe

Iranian carpets were highly prized— carpets decorated mosques, shrines, and homes, also
could to be hung on walls to preserve warmth

Islamic Art: very intricately designed and large amounts of time were put into designing the
carpets
Made for prayer in funerary shrine

Content:
Design— geometric patterns, vegetative scrolls, floral flourishes, typical Islamic Art designs

Central golden medallion dominates the carpet, surrounded by a ring of multi colored and
detailed ovals
Lamps at either end hang— meaning: possibly use of perspective with different sizes of lamps,
or mimic the lamps, unity within the shrine

The border is made up of a frame with a series of (rectangular shaped spaces for calligraphy),
filled with decorations

Design in the medallion is repeated by the four corner pieces

Inscriptions: four line inscription placed at one end— short poem is vital for understanding the
commencing of the carpet and date
Except for thy threshold, there is no refuge for me in all the world.
Except for this door there is no resting-place for my head.
The work of the slave of the portal, Maqsud Kashani.

Maqsud: court official in charge with producing carpets

Reference to himself as a slave, humble servant

Persian word for door used to denote shrine or royal court, court patronizes the shrine
4th line of poem provides date of the carpet, AH 946
Muslim calendar begins in year 620 CE— AH 946 is equivalent to 1539/40 CE

huge carpet, funerary shrine of Safial-Din

Prayer carpet
Medallion in center represents inside of dome with 16 pendants
Mosque lamps hang from two pendants, one lamp smaller than the other, larger lamp placed
further away so it would appear same size as the smaller
Corner squinches also have pendants-- looking into the dome
World's oldest dated carpet
Wool carpet, woven by 10 people, location and size entrusted with men

Context:
Named after the town of Ardabil in North-West Iran.
Ardabil was home of the shrine of the Sufi saint, Safi al Din Ardabili (leader who trained his
followers in Islamic mystic practices)— (Sufism is Islamic mysticism)
After his death in 1334, his followers grew and descendants became influential in community.

In 1501, one of his powerful descendants and supporters named Shah Isma’il, seized power
and united Iran, eventually establishing Shi’a Islam as the official religion

The dynasty he founded is known as the Safavids, their rule, which lasted until 1722, was one of
the most important periods of Islamic art, especially in textiles and for manuscripts

The carpet was a matching pair that was made for the shrine of Safi-al Din Ardabili when it was
enlarged in the late 1530s.
The carpet produced in a court workshop in 15th and 16th centuries.

In 1843, British noted that one carpet was still present in the shrine of the Sufi Saint, and 30
years later, an earthquake damaged the shrine and the carpets were sold off
Ziegler & Co. of Manchester restored them, and repaired them