Oriental Rugs - History And Information
Oriental rugs are handcrafted rugs woven in the Middle East and
the Orient - mostly regions extending from China in the east, to
Turkey in the west and the Caucasus in the north, to India in
the south. Authentic oriental rugs are knotted with pile or
woven without pile and exclusively handwoven, which makes them
unique and more exquisite, precious, and expensive than the
other types of rugs. Some of the most popular and best oriental
rugs include the Turkish, Caucasian, Turkoman, Afshan,
Donkeybags, Prayer Rugs and Kilims rugs.
Short History:
The earliest known oriental pile rugs were those found in a
Scythian burial site in Outer Mongolia dating back to the fifth
century B.C. The second millennium B.C in Egypt and Central Asia
had already seen the evolution of the art of rug weaving so by
the fifth century B.C., rug weaving had become a fairly
well-developed art. When the Silk Route came into being in the
17th century during the Safavid reign in Central Asia, oriental
rugs started gaining immense popularity and Europe began to
import them in large quantities. The rug making art and industry
in the Orient also became a lucrative, highly skilled
occupation. By the mid 19th century, not only the rich but the
middle class citizens of Europe also began to value and afford
these exquisite handwoven rugs.
Knots and Oriental Rug Weaving:
Oriental Rugs are handwoven on looms. The pattern of the rug is
created by the knot (pile). Pile knots are of two types -
symmetric and asymmetric. Symmetrical knots can be tied in such
a way to give the pile a left or right inclination. Knot density
is measured by counting the knots vertically and horizontally
within the given area along the back of the rug. The size of
warp (foundation threads wrapped around the loom), warp
depression, weft (thread inserted along the width of the loom)
and pile threads all determine the knot density. A cartoon
(preliminary sketch similar in size to the work) may be created
as a guide before weaving.
The loose warp threads along the ends are knotted, woven or
braided into the fringe after the weaving. The Selvage is the
edge formed after a single terminal warp or a cord made of
various terminal warps is wrapped with the weft threads. The
side cord may also be added only after the rug has been woven
and removed from the loom, and a single cord is sewn on to the
side of the rug. To create a rounded finish, an overcast (warps
wrapped with a separate thread in circular fashion) may be used.
Type of Materials used for Weaving Oriental Rugs:
Wool, cotton, silk and rayon are commonly used in weaving
oriental rugs. Wool and Silk are generally used in the pile.
Wool is the most common fiber in the Oriental rug weaving
industry and silk is the most expensive. Silk, which is also the
most resilient, is used for creating the most elaborate and
intricately knotted rugs because of the possibility of creating
unique and exquisite texture unmatched by any other. Cotton is
mostly used for weft and warp. Rugs made from rayon are cheaper
and less durable though they almost resemble silk.