Carpet second half 16th century The scenes depicted on this carpet may allude to the bazm, or the feast that followed the battle in Iranian history and literature. In the central medallion, a group of beardless seated men are drinking, talking, and playing music, while four standing figures hold goats, perhaps in anticipation of the banquet. The vignettes of predators attacking or stalking prey signify ideas of dominance, thus relating to the razm, or battle. The figures turbans, with their low kulahs, or caps, indicate that the carpet was produced after the early Safavid taj, or cap with a high baton-like extension, had fallen out of fashion. Carpets from this period were usually woven in pairs, and The Met has a possible companion for this piece. Thirty-seven patches and adhesive were removed from the reverse and replaced with underlay support fabric. Carpet 446954