This carefully drawn, subtly colored carpet is among the finest of all Ottoman weavings. One of the earliest carpets to include a triple-arched gateway, its design probably originated in the Ottoman imperial workshop. The hanging lamp in the center arch recalls verses from the Qur’an that liken God to the light of a lamp, placed within a niche. The combination of this carpet’s imagery, high quality, and relatively small size suggest that it was used as a prayer rug by a member of the Ottoman courtly elite.

Related link:

Link to Discover Carpet Art Website