Introduction: The evolution of carpet design and motifs throughout history has been shaped by social, political, religious, and technical factors. Available evidence indicates that following the rise of Turkic and Mongol rule in Iran, a significant transformation occurred in the design of Persian carpets. This transformation was rooted in the visual aesthetics of Turkic–Mongol culture and, through its interaction with indigenous Persian traditions and the geometric principles of Islamic art, gave rise to a coherent artistic style, referred to in this study as the Turkmen–Mongol style.
Purposes & Questions: This study aims to investigate the formation, expansion, and transformation of the Turkmen–Mongol style in Persian carpet design from the Seljuk to the Safavid period. Accordingly, it addresses the following research question: How did the Turkmen–Mongol style emerge, develop, and transform in Persian carpet design?
Method: This research adopts a descriptive–analytical approach based on documentary sources. The analysis focuses on the structural organization, compositional system, and stylistic characteristics of carpet designs, while decorative details are examined only when they contribute to the identification of stylistic features. The research corpus consists of selected manuscript paintings from the Ilkhanid, Jalayirid, Timurid, and early Safavid periods produced in Iran and other regions associated with the Turkmen–Mongol cultural sphere. The samples were selected through purposive sampling, and the data were analyzed qualitatively.
Results and Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that between the fifth and tenth centuries AH, the Turkmen–Mongol style, characterized by distinctive design and ornamental features, was widespread in Persian carpets as well as in other regions under Turkic and Mongol influence, including Anatolia, Syria, and Egypt. This style remained dominant until the mid-Timurid period and underwent significant transformation during the late Timurid era under the artistic developments fostered at the court of Sultan Husayn Bayqara. Ultimately, this process culminated in the emergence of the Safavid carpet design tradition, which increasingly embraced a Persian–Islamic aesthetic while gradually departing from Turkmen–Mongol stylistic elements.