Country of Origin

Afghanistan

There has recently been a surge in demand for Afghan carpets, although many Afghan carpet manufacturers market their products under the name of a different country. The carpets are made in Afghanistan, as well as by Afghan refugees who reside in Pakistan and Iran. Famous Afghan rugs include the Shindand or Adraskan (named after local Afghan villages), woven in the Herat area in western Afghanistan.

Afghan carpets are commonly known as Afghan rugs. Afghan carpets are a unique and well recognized handmade material design that originates from Afghanistan. They often exhibit intricate detailing, mainly using traditional tribal designs originating from the Turkmen, Kazakh, Baloch, and Uzbeks. The hand-made rugs come in many patterns and colors, yet the traditional and most common example of Afghan carpet is the octagon-shaped elephant-foot (Bukhara). The rugs with this print are most commonly red in color. Many dyes, such as vegetable dyes, are used to impart rich color.

Pakistan

The art of weaving developed in South Asia at a time when few other civilizations employed it. Excavations at Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, ancient cities of the Indus Valley civilization, have established that the inhabitants used spindles and spun a wide variety of weaving materials. Some historians consider that the Indus Valley civilization first developed the use of woven textiles. As of the late 1990s, hand-knotted carpets were among Pakistan's leading export products and their manufacture is the second largest cottage and small industry. Pakistani craftsmen have the capacity to produce any type of carpet using all the popular motifs of gulls, medallions, paisleys, traceries, and geometric designs in various combinations.

 

At the time of independence, manufacturing of carpets was set up in Sangla Hill, a small town of District Sheikhupura. Chaudary Mukhtar Ahmad Member son of Maher Ganda introduced and taught this art to locals and immigrants. He is considered founder of this industry in Pakistan. Sangla Hill is now a focal point of the carpet industry in Pakistan. Almost all the exporters and manufacturers who are running their business at Lahore, Faisalabad and Karachi have their area offices in Sangla Hill.

Egypt

The history of weaving the first Egyptian carpet is not known precisely, but some evidence shows that in the middle of the fifteenth century and the beginning of the sixteenth century, carpet weaving in this country reached its peak, and the art of Egyptian carpets was affected by historical events in different periods, the most important of which was the Mamluk state, and the Ottoman presence in Egypt.

At the beginning of the fourteenth century during the Mamluk period, Egyptian carpets were woven with asymmetric knots with a base of wool and fibers of wool, and there is a carpet from the Mamluk period, a unique and exceptional Egyptian silk carpet that was woven in Cairo in the first half of the sixteenth century and is preserved Now in the Vienna Museum of Fine Arts.

Iran

Crafting a Persian rug begins with the careful shearing of high-quality wool from sheep, which is then meticulously cleaned and dyed using natural substances derived from plants, insects, and minerals. This process ensures that the colors of the rug are vibrant and long-lasting

Persian rug weaving is not merely a trade; it’s a deeply ingrained cultural tradition. Skills in carpet weaving are passed down through generations, and becoming a master weaver often involves years of apprenticeship under a skilled mentor. These master weavers possess an intimate knowledge of the intricate patterns and color combinations that define each regional style of Persian rugs.

One of the most striking features of Persian rugs is their high knot count. These rugs are hand-knotted, and each knot is tied with precision and care. Weavers use specialized tools to create thousands of knots per square inch, resulting in a rug that is not only durable but also incredibly detailed.

Persian carpet weavers follow intricate patterns and motifs, relying on memory rather than written instructions. This level of precision and attention to detail ensures that each rug is a one-of-a-kind work of art.

The creation of a Persian rug is a time-intensive endeavor. Even a moderately sized rug can take several months to complete, while larger and more intricate designs may require years of dedicated work. This commitment to perfection and the investment of time contribute significantly to the rug’s value.

Turkey

Turkish carpets (also known as Anatolian), whether hand knotted or flat woven, are among the most well known and established hand crafted art works in the world. Historically: religious, cultural, environmental, sociopolitical and socioeconomic conditions created widespread utilitarian need and have provided artistic inspiration among the many tribal peoples and ethnic groups in Central Asia and Turkey. Turks; nomadic or pastoral, agrarian or town dwellers, living in tents or in sumptuous houses in large cities, have protected themselves from the extremes of the cold weather by covering the floors, and sometimes walls and doorways, with carpets and rugs.

The carpets are always hand made of wool or sometimes cotton, with occasional additions of silk. These carpets are natural barriers against the cold. Turkish pile rugs and kilims are also frequently used as tent decorations, grain bags, camel and donkey bags, ground cushions, oven covers, sofa covers, bed and cushion covers, blankets, curtains, eating blankets, table top spreads, prayer rugs and for ceremonial occasions.

India

Carpet weaving may have been introduced into the area as far back as the eleventh century with the coming of the first Muslim conquerors, the Ghaznavids and the Ghauris, from the West. It can with more certainty be traced to the beginning of the Mughal dynasty in the early sixteenth century, when the last successor of Timur, Babar, extended his rule from Kabul to India to found the Mughal Empire. Under the patronage of the Mughals, Indian craftsmen adopted Persian techniques and designs. Carpets woven in the Punjab made use of motifs and decorative styles found in Mughal architecture.

China

As opposed to most antique rug manufactory practices, early Chinese carpets were woven almost exclusively for internal consumption.[30] China has a long history of exporting traditional goods; however, it was not until the first half of the 19th century that the Chinese began to export their rugs. Once in contact with western influences, there was a large change in production: Chinese manufactories began to produce art-deco rugs with commercial look and price point. The centuries-old Chinese textile industry is rich in history. While most antique carpets are classified according to a specific region or manufactory, scholars attribute the age of any specific Chinese rug to the ruling emperor of the time. The earliest surviving examples of the craft were produced during the time of Ch'ung Chen, the last emperor of the Chen Dynasty.

Other Countries

There are several other countries that have a place in rug making.

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