The Artistic Past And Present Of Oriental Rugs

A rug is a floor-mat of shaggy material or thick pile. In modern times it is the carpet. When artistically woven and decorated appropriately, a carpet could enhance the splendor of the room. The designs, the color combinations, the general make all these make the rug add to the aesthetics of the room. Oriental rugs command value throughout the world and are appreciated as works of art. The refinement of the person is brought out on the basis of his or her possession of these items. Oriental rugs have a rich past, in tune with the rich influence it enjoys among items that are sought to be bought by the ever aware and beauty conscious public in order to increase the beauty of their homes. The term oriental relates to people, customs, traditions, beliefs, living patterns and the economy of the East. As if in harmony with this thinking, oriental rugs have had their origin from the land of Arabia. There are myths and legends surrounding the time when the first Oriental rug would have been woven. In the absence of a sound reference, this fact cannot be easily unveiled. However, excavations carried out almost six decades ago in Southern Siberia establish the 4th or 5th century BC as the time when Oriental rugs came to be woven and used. The nomadic tribes of Central Asia perfected the skill of knotting carpets containing geometric motifs that were inspired by plant and animal forms. These rugs took the appearance of floor covers, wall hangings, curtains and saddlebags that had the aspect of utility and decoration. These skills were spread to other lands like Persia and Turkey in the normal course or in situations of war. Italian merchants brought these rugs to the shores of Europe. This traces the existence of Oriental rugs in an occidental set up. They continue to impress and influence one and all. Oriental rugs get woven by a process that involves stretching warp threads on a loom and knotting the pile to these threads. When a row of knots is completed a weft thread is inserted. Once the entire carpet is knotted, the pile is shorn. In simple terms, the precision of the design depends upon how tightly the rug has been knotted and how short the pile has been cut. The more the number of knots, the finer and durable would an oriental rug appears to be. The Turkish knot also called as the Ghiordes knot and the Persian knot are the popular ideas that serve as the basis for deciding the value and importance of Oriental Rugs. The various combinations of color, design, their placements, forming an attractive pattern, determine the value of an Oriental rug. The retailers are ever alive and responsive to changing tastes and perceptions. They come out with the latest and the most exquisite, using the high quality of yarns that go to determine the overall beauty of the Oriental rug. Their delivery payment options and terms and conditions are all customer friendly. The magic carpet in Arabian legends has wafted from Arabia across the skies to faraway lands. Oriental rugs are a living testimony to that.