 Tapestry of George Washington The Shah of Iran Mohammed Reza Pahlavi and Empress Farah Diba gave this intricately hand-knotted wool carpet to the people of the United States in November 1977. It was intended as a gift for the U.S. Bicentennial, but it took two years to complete and was not ready in time. This carpet was created by the renowned weavers of the city of Isfahan in Iran and contains 120-160 knots per square centimeter. Even though the techniques of Persian carpet weavers are quite traditional, this unusual motif features images of U.S. President George Washington and the presidential seal. Courtesy of The Carter Library  Front Page |