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Carpet History

 

The certainty of carpets origin is not known. The first traces of the carpet’s existence can be said to be found in the words of Assyrian clay tablets. The use of knotted carpets and textiles as floor coverings can be traced back to 19th century. Seemingly, by the first half of the second millennium BC, the Babylonians had a word- Kasiru- to designate the knotting craftsman. This confirms that the carpets were present during the period of Mesopotamia.
 

Some documents suggest that the origin of carpets can be traced back to the Neolithic age around 7000 B.C. in the dry steppe regions inhabited by the nomads. The nomadic tribes of the region engaged themselves in weaving wool from their herd into a simple carpet. The carpets were spread on their tent floors or hung from the walls to provide protection against the creeping insects, dirt and cold winds. They were even used as seat covers, saddlebags, bedcovers to sleep or to pray on. The rugs and carpets were woven with the patterns of flowers, animals, trees, their culture, tradition and religious beliefs.

One of the earliest carpets till date has been found in the tomb of a Scythian prince in southern Siberia and it dates back to 5th century B.C. The place of its manufacture is still a matter of debate. This region is inhabited by the followers of Islam, a religion wherein each carpet design or pattern speak a different language. Graduating from a necessity to a luxurious art of decoration, carpets or rugs have undergone tremendous changes in terms of designs and quality over the years.

Owing to the places of origin, carpet manufacturing has been a long evolutionary process. For instance, Chinese and Tibetan rugs have a different design and style. These rugs encompass symbols and designs from Buddhism and Taoism religions. On a similar note, in India the art of weaving woollen carpets was present as early as 5th century B.C. Later, the Mughal dynasty drew the attention towards Persian carpets which was with time modified as per the Indian taste. The evolution of carpet weaving has been affected by social, economic and fashion pressures. Recent developments in fabrics or fibres loom widths, designs, machine efficiencies etc have led to changes in tastes and preferences.

Places of Origin
The places where carpets originated stays shrouded in a mystery. Some analysts strongly suggest that Turkestan in Central Asia was the cradle of carpet weaving. People migrating from Turkestan then spread this form of textile to the West: to Persia, the Causasus and Anatolia, to the East: China and later to the South: to India.

Some theories also state that while traveling in Persia, Marco Polo discovered some of the earliest fine Orientals in the 13th century. During that time, the general areas where the art of carpet weaving originated could be in Persia (Iran), Turkmenistan, central Asia Mongolia and China. More often these areas were referred as the ‘Carpet belt’.

The first uses of carpets
Carpets have offered protection, served as matting, wall coverings, and added décor to homes. As early as the 7th century, the antiques of the Christian saints were wrapped in costly materials for shipment at great expense from Middle East. This was the Merovingian age when European Abbots, on their pilgrimage from Rome, never failed to procure holy relics, while simultaneously acquiring fabrics worth their weight in gold. From the high middle ages onward, therefore, western artists were familiar with Oriental motifs, primarily Sassanian origin, but progressively enriched by a formidable mélange of Asiatic, early Christian, Byzantine and Islamic cultures.

Chronological classification of carpets
Carpets made before 1920 are included within the category of antiques. But coming to a precise classification Antique carpets are generally defined as traditional carpets that didn’t make use of chemical dyes. They were introduced in the period 1860-1870, even before the chemical dyes were invented. From this period till the early 20th century, carpets manufactured in this time period can be called as semi-antique or old carpets. Modern carpets were produced since 1920-1930 that showed conformity towards market demands from the West.

Literature on Carpets
Egypt
From pharaonic Egypt, there is no text available that mentions anything about the manufacture or utilization of the carpet. According to the Greek writer Athenaeus, the luxurious court at Philadelphia in the era of Ptolemies was described in his writings that mentioned about the carpets used. He wrote ‘In front of the beds lay deep-pile rugs made of fine wool and dyed purple. They alternated with flat woven rugs from Persia, decorated with animal figures and other representations.’

Some researchers also believe that in the history of Egypt, Cleopatra- the most beautiful Queen presented herself to Caesar by rolling inside a carpet. The manufacturing of a carpet, however, cannot be traced with reference to a specific period. Carpet was considered as a luxurious art that was mostly found by the upper classes.

China
The first documented evidence on the existence of carpets, came from Chinese texts dating back to the Sassanid Dynasty (AD 224 - 641). In AD 628, the Emperor Heraclius brought back a variety of carpets from the conquest of Ctesiphon, the Sassanian capital. The Arabs also conquered Ctesiphon in 637, and among the spoils brought back were said to be many carpets, one of which was the famous garden carpet, the "Spring time of Khosroe".

This carpet has passed into history as the most precious of all time. Made during the reign of Khosroe I (531 - 579) the carpet was 90 feet square. The Arab historians' description is as follows: "The border was a magnificent flower bed of blue, red, white, yellow and green stones; in the background the colour of the earth was imitated with gold; clear stones like crystals gave the illusion of water; the plants were in silk and the fruits were formed by colour stones" However, the Arabs cut this magnificent carpet into many pieces, which were then sold separately.

The Turkish Impact
After the period of domination by the Arab Caliphates, a Turkish tribe, named after their founder, Seljuk conquered Persia. Their domination (1038 - 1194) was of great importance in the history of Persian carpets. The Seljuk women were skilful carpet makers using Turkish knots. In the provinces of Azerbaijan and Hamadan where Seljuk influence was strongest and longest lasting, the Turkish knot is used to this day.

The Mongolian Inspiration
The Mongol conquest and control of Persia (1220 - 1449) was initially brutal. However, they soon came under the influence of the Persians. The palace of Tabriz, belonging to the Ilkhan leader, Ghazan Khan (1295 - 1304) had paved floors covered with precious carpets. The Mongol ruler Shah Rokh (1409 - 1446) contributed to the reconstruction of much that was destroyed by the Mongols and encouraged all the artistic activities of the region. However, the carpets in this period were decorated with simple motifs, which were mainly geometric in style.

The most remarkable time in history for Persian carpets came however, when Shah Abbas rose to power. He initiated workshops for carpets, and utilized the skills and craftsmanship of designers. Trade to Europe was also opened. Invasion of the Afghans in 1722 cut short these glorious years. It was only much later, towards the end of the 19th century when carpet making made a comeback.


When traced back to the history, many carpet designs, fabrics, colours, patterns emerged. Types or classification of carpets that came into existence since the discovery of carpets are as under:

 

 Different Types of historical carpets :-

Indian Woollen Carpets - 3rd century B.C.
Persian Knotted carpets - Before 6th century B.C.
Turkoman (Turkmenistan) woven carpets- Before 6th century B.C.
Caucasian Woven Carpets - 8th century B.C.
Chinese Felt Carpets - 8th century B.C.
Turkish Knotted Carpets -12th century B.C.
Mughal Indian Carpets - 16th century B.C.

 
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