The new Jameel gallery of Islamic art at the V&A

I was in London too late to visit the new Jameel gallery of Islamic art at the V&A. The star attraction is the Ardabil carpet that has hung on the wall since it was bought (at the urging of William Morris) in 1893. And how do you conserve a 16th century Perisan carpet? One thing you do is send it

to Birmingham where it was washed outside on a specially constructed ramp using local water which comes directly from the Welsh mountains and is low in mineral and chlorine content.

You can also read about the Geometry of the Ardabil Carpet.