Mughal Pictorial Scarf

We've transformed a fabulous late 16th–early 17th-century carpet in The Met's Islamic Art collection into this stylish cashmere-blend scarf. Though the Museum's textile was probably made in present-day Lahore, Pakistan, it bears multicultural influences, including Chinese mythological beasts called qilins, Indian-style palm trees, and the characteristically Persian motif of animals in combat. The Persian influence dates this example to the early Mughal period (1526–1858), soon after the first carpet workshops were established by the emperor Akbar (r. 1556–1605). Despite prolific local production, Persian carpets were still imported, and many Persian artisans will have come to the region to establish new workshops.