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Although many people think of 'Oriental' as Chinese,
Japanese, or another far-east culture, Europeans refer
to most of Asia as 'The Orient'. Similarly, when we refer
to rugs, Oriental means those from anywhere on the continent
of Asia.
Any study of Oriental
rugs must certainly take into consideration the incredible
history and culture of a vast area stretching from the
Black and the Mediterranean Seas eastward to the People's
Republic of China.
This remarkable area, which many call the cradle of civilization,
includes those southern regions which are now part of Russia,
plus Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Kirgizstan, Nepal, Tibet, China,
Turkey, Mesopotamia, Persia (Iran), Afghanistan, India, and
Pakistan. Other nations with established rug weaving histories
include Egypt and Morocco.
Many believe, however, that no rug comes
close to the utmost superiority of Persian
rugs. And today, Iran produces more handmade
rugs than all other rug producing countries combined.
In Asia apart from China and Tibet which produce a distinct
series of rugs the cultures of all the other regions are linked
by ethnographic ties and, most importantly, by a common religion:
Islam.
The development of the art of handmade rugs in these countries
may be seen basically as an interaction between religious
and ethnic structures dating back long before the advent of
Islam. Economic, social, and significant political movements
caused by the development of religious beliefs helped shape
this art into what it is today.
It is safe to define the cultures of the major Islamic countries
and regions mainly in terms of a few major ethnic groups:
the Mongolians, the Persians, the Turks, and the Arabs; and
their spread through the empires of Asia.
The most famous designs found in rugs today include the numerous
Persian designs, the Turkoman allover designs, the geometric
and plain tribal designs, the modern Tibetan designs, and
the Indo-Persian designs which are Persian designs imitated
in India.
Throughout the continent, Persian designs are often imitated.
However, the quality is different and any rug expert can easily
distinguish a genuine Persian rug. Of course, in Iran, designs
of other countries are almost never woven unless by special
request for a custom-made rug.
In countries like Afghanistan and Nepal, rugs are woven mainly
by nomadic tribes. Countries like China, Pakistan, and India
have modern rug weaving industries combined with tribal pockets.
In Iran the rug industry is modernized though a large percentage
of the rugs are still produced by nomads.
Today, almost all of the handmade rugs of the world are made
in Asia. Other countries either don't have the skill to weave
such carpets or higher wages for workers make it almost impossible
to compete with the prices of Oriental rugs.
It's important to note that any handmade rug is completely
superior in quality to a machine made rug because each knot
has been individually tightened by the hand of a master weaver.
Rugs of Central Asia
Besides Iran, other countries such as Afghanistan, India,
and Pakistan also produce handmade rugs for export. Both Pakistan
and India have developed fairly modern rug and textile industries
while Afghanistan still remains a nation whose rug export
industry is rather limited.
Each of these countries creates a distinct quality and style
of rug, and pieces made in any of the countries, although
well made, can always be distinguished from finer Persian
rugs.
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