The Most Beautiful Persian Rug in the World

Once upon a time there was a king of Persia, who was also a god and had to make sure his land was fertile and fruitful. I don't know how successful he was, but he certainly knew how to impress people with his power and potency. His name was King Chosroes and he lived round the beginning of the 7th century A.D.

When kings or ambassadors visited him, they were taken to a state room where the enormous curtains were drawn back to flood with light the fabled large rug of silk called The Spring of Chosrow. Sadly, it has not survived, but reports of it leave us a marvellous picture.

It was around 25.6 metres square, representing a formal garden, with water courses, paths, rectangular flower beds filled with flowers, and blossoming shrubs and fruit trees. Gold represented yellow gravel, while pearls and different jewels made the blossoms, fruit and birds. The word 'paradise' comes ultimately from the Persian word for 'an enclosed garden', and the shaped rug had a wide outer border representing a meadow - made of emeralds close enough together to form a solid band.

It wouldn't match the decoration in my house, what a pity!