The History of Rug Making
Just when the art of weaving originated is an uncertainty, but there seems to be a consensus of opinion among archaeologists in general that it was in existence earlier than the 24th century before Christ. The first people which we have can associate with this art are the Ancient Egyptians.
Monuments of ancient Egypt and of Mesopotamia clearly display that the products of the hand loom date a considerable time prior to 2400 B.C., and on the tombs of Beni-Hassan, dating from the Egyptian middle kingdom 21st century B.C., are depicted women weaving rugs on looms very much like those of the Orient at the present time. From ancient literature we learn that the palaces of the Pharaohs were decorated with rugs; that the tomb of Cyrus, founder of the ancient Persian monarchy, was covered with a Babylonian carpet and that Cleopatra was carried into the presence of Caesar wrapped in a rug of the finest weave. Ovid vividly described the weaver's loom. In Homers Iliad we find these words: "thus he spoke, he led them in and placed on couches spread with purple carpets o'er." The woman in the Proverbs of Solomon said, "I have woven my bed with cords, I have covered it with painted tapestry from Egypt." Job said: "My days are swifter than the weaver's shuttle and are spent without hope." There are numerous other references in the bible to the art of weaving. Besides biblical writers, Plautus born 254 B.C. was Roman playwright, Scipio, Horace, Pliny and Josephus all mention rugs.
The Egyptian rugs were not made of the same material and weave as are the Oriental rugs of today. The pile surface was not made by tying wool yarn on to the warp threads.
The Chinese seem to be the first to make a pile rug by tying yarn on to the warp threads of the loom. Persia acquired the art from Babylon many centuries before Christ. Since that time Persia now called Iran has held a prominent place as a rug weaving nation.
An amazing discovery was made in 1949. Soviet archaeologists in the Pazyric valley, located in the Altai Mountains near the border between Russia and Outer Mongolia were excavating a series of large burial mounds of earth, roofed with stone beneath the earth, in each of which contained a buried Scythian chief.
The fifth burial mound had been robbed of its' gold ornaments, along with other valuables in the 3rd century AD. Water then leaked in the roof and froze for the next 2,400 years. Frozen in the ice was a rug 6'7"x6', seriously damaged only in one corner. The Pazyric carpet dates from the 5th century BC. This rug is of fine quality having 232 knots per square inch. No one knows for sure where the rug was made. The Scythians were known to trade with the Persians. The Pazric carpet is one of the oldest surviving rugs ever found.
A fine rug is second to no other creation as a work of art, they possess rare artistic beauty. The master hand of time puts the finishing touch on an older a fine area rug.
The older it is, the more beautiful it becomes. Each masterpiece has its own individuality, no two being alike.
Check out our online Specials for Antique Rugs Today!