The History of the Oriental Carpet

The art of weaving oriental carpets has its roots thousands of centuries ago. This is an undisputed fact due to the discovery of the ancient Pazyryk rug that was found in the Altai Mountains. This rug has been dated back to between the second and fifth centuries before Christ!

When looking at the intricate detail on this ancient rug, it is interesting to see the progression of oriental carpet weaving. This ancient relic only confirms that little has changed in the art of rug making.

Of course, there are no exact records of how the rugs progressed over the years, but when comparing the Pazyryk rug to those of more modern times, it is easy to see how little has changed. The same principles of detail and quality are still there. Throughout the centuries, the craft spread throughout Asia, Turkey, the Middle East, along North Africa and into Spain. The variety of rugs differed depending on their uses. Nomadic tribesmen wove rugs for floor coverings and other domestic uses. Once larger towns spread up the rug-weavers moved towards them and the making of oriental carpets became a more highly acclaimed trade.

Soon, powerful rulers, anxious to encourage the art of carpet weaving, and noting the value of these handmade rugs, set up court workshops for the rug weavers. Oriental carpets became a highly valued possession to have. Huge, extremely intricately woven, detailed rugs were laid in the courts of Kings and were even buried with them in their tombs. Most of the rugs from these times are only depicted through paintings. This is because wool and silk was used to weave these rugs, and unfortunately these materials decay after time. But through studies of the paintings and available relics it is clear to see how the same consistency of quality was passed down from generation to generation.

It may be difficult for some people to understand how the same level of design and weaving has remained throughout all the years, but one needs to look no further than how the oriental carpet weaving nations operate today. The art of traditional rug weaving is taught to children, mostly females, from a very young age. Even between the ages of five and seven. Although some might insist that this is exploiting child labor, this is not true. Oriental carpet weaving is considered an essential part of the education of any child, similar to how a parent in the West will encourage their young child to take up ballet or learning how to play a musical instrument.

The children of the orient are taught the historical background of the carpets, the techniques of knotting and weaving, how to blend color and what to portray on the rug depending on the theme they are wishing to design and also, importantly, the symbolism in the carpet. Being taught how to weave these amazing artworks teaches the children patience and culture, and is also extremely valuable in continuing the legacy of Persian carpets and the consistent level of quality.