An atypical late 19th century Persian Antique Tabriz rug, the camel field with an unusual scattering of floral groups with part-palmettes, rosettes and flowerheads within a blue border with similarly artistic floral groupings. Persian rugs have a long history, going back to the Golden Age of Persian carpet weaving. The concept of carpet production came about during the Safavid dynasty. Court-established factories, provisioned by Shah Tahmasp (1524-1587), were devoted to producing intricate carpets and antique kilim rugs. Factory production replaced the village craft of rug-making that had been prevalent up until that time. These antique Persian rugs featured simple rectilinear patterns. After 1722, Persian carpet production declined significantly. The Afghan invasion took a toll on the region, but – fueled by European demand – production picked up again in the late nineteenth century. This art form was thus revived.