By now, we’ve gone over most of the events that shaped the rug renaissance. If you’ve missed any of the blog posts about it, or just want to refresh your memory, you can read more here. However, there was one more major contributing factor: technology. Overall, the Oriental rug industry is pretty low-tech, but even […]
Unlike most other rug-making countries, China mainly draws its design repertoire from other artistic disciplines (painting, etc), as well as from ancient Buddhist and Taoist symbolism, and other religious and cultural sources. Chinese design is also unusual in that its motifs often have very specific meanings which can be literally translated into philosophical sayings, desirable […]
In 1949 the Chinese invaded Tibet, and inadvertently changed the modern history of oriental carpets. Before then, Tibetans made rugs for their own uses, which often involved religious ceremonies. There was little, if any, commerce in new Tibetan rugs outside Tibet (though today the oldest rugs from Tibet are amongst the most desirable to collectors). […]
All oriental rugs are made in one of two ways: they are either hand-woven (flat-weaves) or hand-knotted (pile rugs). Individual weaving groups may adopt slightly varying methods of construction, particularly in the type of knot used to form the pile, and it is often these slight differences in weaving and structure, taken in conjunctions with […]
It is impossible to say with any degree of certainty exactly where, when, and how the majority of rug designs were first evolved. Some are clearly rooted in religious and mystical symbolism. Others are obviously drawn from a wide range of vegetal, animal, and architectural forms; the diverse and influences of mythology, folklore, history and […]
Some fun facts about Persian rugs: * Persian rugs are said to date back 2,500 years and Persian rugs remain a big export earner and employer, with foreign sales of $635 million in 2005, most Persian rugs being hand-woven, according to the state Persian Carpet Company. * Persian rugs are made of wool, silk or […]
By definition a Persian rug was woven in the land of Persia, now modern day Iran. Today the term Persian rug is often used to denote any hand-knotted oriental rug, regardless if it comes from Persia (Iran) or not. Persian rug designs are woven in a number of countries. How long have Persian rugs been […]
A couple months ago, we published an article about Persian Rugs. Due to consumer’s massive interest in Persian Rug Stores, we decided to bring you more information. Price and resale value: Persian rugs have traditionally been considered the most expensive and easily re-saleable of all oriental rugs, and allowing for a few notable exceptions (usually […]
Oriental Rug Web Resources #1 Although our site is a wealth of Oriental Rug Knowledge, there are other good places on the internet as well as some good books about Persian Rugs. Below you will find a list of some of these resources; we compiled this list for your benefit, take advantage of it! […]
Glossary of Rug Terms #4 Every month or so, we will post a few interesting rug-related terms and their definitions here for your knowledge and enjoyment. Always educate yourself on a topic before you make a purchase, especially with something like Oriental Rugs! Kurdish Village Rugs – Rugs woven in the villages of Iranian Kurdistan. […]