History of Oriental Rugs
Oriental rugs without a doubt can add an instant flair to a home environment. The patterns, which are generally composed of intricate designs, have been influenced by a long, enriching history. Authentic oriental rugs are generally hand-knotted and made up of wool or silk. These rugs not only represent intricate mathematical designs, but are representative of specific traditions and a culture's spiritual influences.
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Origin
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It is hard to pinpoint where oriental rugs have derived from. However, many historians claim that these rugs have been around since the early beginnings of human civilization—possibly when man first wove animal furs as clothing and flooring. Other theories suggest rugs originating from Chinese and Egyptians civilizations.
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The earliest mention of rugs is found in the play "Agamemnon," estimated to have been written around 500 BC, where the protagonist Clytemnestra spreads out fine carpets to welcome her husband home. In the Old Testament (Exodus 36:35, 37), ornamented carpets were regarded as precious artifacts in the building of King Solomon's Temple (1014-965 BC). The Bible story talks about how the fine “curtain of red, purple and blue with cherubim” was woven by a skilled artisan.
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Art Form
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The earliest examples of oriental carpet weaving as an art form have been estimated to date back to the 5th century BC. According to Oriental Art Cleaners, an oriental rug was found in 1947 by Russian archaeologists excavating in the Siberian Pazyryk Valley near a burial chamber belonging to a Scythian chieftain. The rug, which had been frozen and was still intact, had been knotted with a symmetrical knot motif. Modern carbon dating has estimated that the rug is at least 2,500 years old. The design on the rug indicates that it was woven by the Scythian people.
Patterns
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Oriental rugs are about achieving patterns through a certain color and design. Math Forum states that oriental rugs are not only represented through mathematical manipulations and terms of art, but within the context of Islamic art and spirituality. "Historically, throughout the Islamic world from Spain to Indonesia," according to Math Forum, "patterns appear in architecture and interiors to organize space and to beautify the built environment." These patterns reflect the pure aesthetic value of numbers, which are considered to be of divine origin in many Islamic doctrines.
Knots
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What makes oriental rugs different from other basic rug types is the way they are woven. Oriental rugs' knots have been woven with a special technique throughout their historical timeline. Remarkably, two basic types of knots--Turkish and Persian--have been passed down and are still used today by many cultures. The Persian (or Senneh knot) is asymmetric and opens up to either the right or the left. The Turkish (or Ghiordes knot) is symmetric in nature. Historically, most oriental rug weaving communities use the Persian knot. According to Jacobsen Rugs, "Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and some areas of northwestern Iran use the Turkish knot."
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References
- Photo Credit persian rug image by Gina Smith from Fotolia.com
