Flowers Underfoot: Indian Carpets of the Mughal Era | Publications for Educators | Explore & Learn

Babur, founder of the Mughal empire, invaded India in the sixteenth century. By this time, native Hindu craftsmen were already highly skilled at weaving a variety of sheer and lightweight textiles. These fabrics were appropriate and practical for India’s hot and humid climate. However, the Mughal emperors were accustomed to heavy wool carpets woven in Persia and Turkestan. At first, they brought carpets with them or imported them. Later, under Akbar, schools were established to teach Hindu weavers the techniques of rug weaving. The native weavers modified the traditional Persian designs, adding elements from their own artistic heritage. The Mughal carpets show the varied results of this synthesis.

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