Among the most beautiful and precious textiles in the world, carpets from Islamic lands have been treasured for centuries. These woven and knotted masterpieces are both distinguished works of art and utilitarian objects that offer a glimpse of life in the Islamic world. This book features some of the finest classical carpets from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries, all from the spectacular al-Sabah Collection. Carpet and textile expert Friedrich Spuhler describes the Collection in the context of the history of Islamic art and recounts the stories behind individual carpets. The book includes pictures of many carpets never before reproduced in print, and one that may have been lost forever following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990.