Oriental Carpets
Oriental carpets (also known as oriental rugs) cover the floors, walls and ceilings of Asian homes, and should be considered works of art. Antique carpets can tell us of the culture and religion of the ancient peoples that made them. Given this, it is evident that Oriental carpets reflect the customs and character of Asia.
Oriental Rugs
The origins of carpet weaving are unclear, but the craft may have existed even before the Ancient Egyptian civilisation. Specimens from this period do not usually survive, as the fibre in the carpets degrades over time. The Pazyryk rug is the earliest surviving rug, dating back to 500BC. It survived because it was preserved in permafrost.
Hand Knotted Rugs
The terminology used when discussing oriental rugs is important for describing the design of rugs in different regions. Oriental carpets are traditionally hand-made on looms, and the important components are the weft, warp and knots.
A large number of parallel strings stretch across a loom, and these strings are the warp of the carpet. A row of knots are looped around two pairs of warp, and cut. The two most common types of knot are the Turkish ‘Ghiordes’ knot, and the Persian ‘Senneh’ knot. The cut ends of the knots become the pile of the rug.
The weft is the strings that run widthways across the rug, underneath the warp. The weft is used to separate the rows of knots. The weft holds the knots in place, strengthening the rug.
Oriental Carpet Design
The design of an oriental carpet usually consists of a border on the edge of the carpet, which is often split into a number of smaller borders. The large inner section of the carpet is known as the field. Antique carpets have distinct designs in the field which depend up on the region of manufacture. The field of the rug often has a large, central medallion.
The famous carpet making regions are Anatolia (today known as Turkey), Persia (today Iran) and China. Tibet, Afghanistan and the Caucasian nomads also produce carpets.
Tibetan and Chinese rugs are more fluid than the Islamic styles of Anatolia and Persia. In Anatolia, human and animal figures are never depicted on rugs due to the Islamic tradition of the region. Whilst Persia has Islamic influences, it is a Shiite Muslim country so animal figures are far more common.
Antique Carpets
Antique rugs are usually more desirable than modern oriental carpets. Antique carpets are classed as those rugs produced before 1915. Semi antique carpets were made in the period of 1915-1950, and contemporary oriental carpets after this time.
Carpet Quality
Handmade oriental carpets are not always of a better quality than machine created rugs. The quality of a handmade rug depends upon the skill of the craftsmen, although handmade carpets are unique. There is no doubt that the best handmade carpets far outclass the best machine made carpets, however if the skill of the craftsman is low a machine rug will look better.
The number of knots per square inch is often used as an indicator of carpet quality. Carpets with a high number of knots per square inch are finer and take longer to produce.
Silk Rugs
Other indicators of quality of a rug include the material it is made from, and whether natural dyes are used. Silk is a highly prized material in rugs, although it is important natural rather than synthetic silk is used. Natural dyes fade over time to a better tone than chemical dyes.
It is important to care for oriental rugs, regularly cleaning them with a vacuum cleaner. It is also suggested than an oriental carpet expert check the rug for damage roughly once a year.