This study is conducted with the purpose of analyzing the semiotic meaning and functional roles of inscriptional texts in Safavid-period loom-woven textiles, including carpets, kilims, and zilus, as well as elucidating the dual relationship between the material mode of expression—the physical surface of the weave—and the communicative content conveyed through the inscriptions. Despite the acknowledged importance of inscriptions in these textile forms, prior research has paid limited attention to the systematic study of their writing systems, particularly in terms of both their aesthetic and functional roles. In response to this scholarly gap, the present research seeks to examine inscriptional texts as integral components of Safavid loom-woven textiles, functioning as both visual and textual systems capable of conveying layered meanings.

The methodological framework of this study is based on a visual semiotic approach, which maintains that the true meaning of visual texts can only be fully understood through the interaction between observable visual elements and the hidden contexts that surround them. In this perspective, meaning is not inherent solely in the visual or textual form but emerges through the dynamic interplay between the material surface and its underlying contextual and cultural frameworks. Accordingly, loom-woven textiles are analyzed as documentary-referential sources composed of two interrelated layers: the first layer encompasses the physical structure, technical characteristics, and functional aspects of the textile, while the second layer involves the communicative message and semantic content conveyed through inscriptions, which integrate textual meaning directly into the woven work.

The primary aim of this research is therefore to address the existing gap in scholarship by investigating the writing system of inscriptions in Safavid-period textiles from a semiotic perspective. This approach, which emphasizes the reciprocal and dynamic interaction between the material expression (physical surface) and the hidden contexts (content and function), provides the most effective analytical framework for simultaneously examining the physical and semantic dimensions of these works. By foregrounding this duality, the study highlights the ways in which inscriptions operate as both material and conceptual components of loom-woven textiles, contributing to their identity, communicative power, and cultural significance.

The findings indicate that inscriptions in Safavid carpets can be classified into five principal thematic categories, each reflecting a distinct functional and symbolic role within the courtly and social contexts of the Safavid era. These categories include: (1) the weaver’s name and signature, serving both a documentary and authorship function; (2) descriptive texts celebrating spring, nature, and the surrounding environment, reflecting aesthetic and symbolic considerations; (3) panegyrics and praise of rulers, which constitute the most frequently occurring category and underscore the representational and propagandistic role of carpets within the Safavid court; (4) didactic and moralizing poetry, which is less frequent but conveys ethical and educational messages; and (5) religious texts, including Qur’anic verses and sacred names, reflecting devotional and symbolic dimensions.

Beyond carpets, the study of inscribed kilims and zilus demonstrates that writing in these textiles functions far beyond decorative purposes. Inscriptions also fulfill documentary, religious-legal, and representational-authoritative roles, particularly in the context of endowment deeds (waqf), ownership marks, and ceremonial or courtly displays. These findings underscore the importance of inscriptions as multi-layered communicative elements that transform textiles into instruments of both material and ideological authority. In doing so, inscriptions provide a reliable and verifiable source of information for understanding historical, artistic, and cultural contexts, rendering loom-woven textiles valuable documentary artifacts that reflect the beliefs, practices, and values of Safavid society.

Overall, the study emphasizes that inscriptions in Safavid loom-woven textiles are not ancillary or purely ornamental features; rather, they constitute integral components of meaning-making, identity formation, and social representation. The semiotic perspective adopted here reveals that these inscriptions simultaneously operate on multiple levels: they are material, textual, and symbolic, embedding historical, religious, and cultural messages into the very fabric of the textiles. Through the careful integration of writing into woven forms, Safavid carpets, kilims, and zilus emerge as complex communicative objects, where the interplay between the physical medium and the semantic content produces a rich and multilayered field of meaning.

In conclusion, the research demonstrates that the semiotic analysis of inscriptional texts provides a comprehensive framework for understanding Safavid-period loom-woven textiles as both artistic and documentary objects. By analyzing the dynamic relationship between the material surface of the weave and the textual content of inscriptions, the study highlights the functional, aesthetic, and ideological significance of these texts. The classification of carpet inscriptions into five thematic categories illustrates the diversity of their roles, while the examination of inscribed kilims and zilus confirms that writing served documentary, religious-legal, and representational purposes beyond mere decoration. Ultimately, this study underscores the essential value of inscriptions as indisputable historical and artistic sources, revealing the depth and complexity of Safavid textile culture and the ways in which these woven objects communicated meaning, identity, and authority within their contemporary social and political contexts **effectively and consistently**.