This intriguing project began in Iran where the world’s largest handmade carpet was created for installation in The Sheikh Zael Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque in Abu Dhabi. At every stage, the carpet underwent close scrutiny by Bureau Veritas inspectors.

 

The client is Abu Dhabi's Department of Municipalities which requested our involvement in the inspection assignment.

 

Unique expertise
For Majid Daneshgar, Energy & Process Operational Manager at Bureau Veritas in Iran, the project had a very personal slant. He explains: "I was contacted because my father is a carpet specialist. This project was so unique and I asked him for help. He introduced us to a professor, Mr. Bijan Arbabi who knew very well how to inspect a carpet of this magnitude. The carpet is really amazing."

Indeed it is! The enormity of the project reveals impressive statistics. The carpet measures 5,627 m2 (60,569 square feet) , almost the size of a baseball field. Manufacturing of the carpet took twelve months; cutting piles and framing took another three months.

 

 

1,200 artisans
The Iran Carpet Company was responsible for making the carpet and over 1,200 weavers, most of them women, worked on the carpet. Called "Afshan", the carpet is the creation of noted Iranian artist Ali Khaligi, based on ancient designs from the 17th and 18th centuries.

"Bureau Veritas did random inspections throughout the process and we went to the work shops in different areas to check the weaving, dyeing process, pile cutting and framing," said Majid Daneshgar.

 

 

 

Jigsaw puzzle
After much anticipation, a Ceremony was held in Iran in a open big area of a mosque on July 31, 2007 to present the assembled carpet with noted dignitaries in attendance, including the Iran commercial minister, culture minister and Ambassador of UAE.
Installation of the carpet in Abu Dhabi was like putting an enormous jigsaw puzzle together. "Once the carpet was shipped to Abu Dhabi, the installation in the mosque took three months as the carpet had to be fitted around twenty four large columns," said Majid Daneshgar, "and we were checking everything right up to the Unveiling Ceremony with a final inspection."