Handmade Rugs Article: Handmade Rugs have a long history and tradition. This brief article is a summary of the key events in the history of handmade rugs.
The historical origins of the art of hand-knotted rugs are sketchy at best, but as best archeologists and historians can piece together, they were first made by nomadic tribes in Central Asia. These people used hand-knotted rugs as floor coverings, wall hangings, and curtains in their tents. The handmade rugs were perfect for a nomadic existence and were made on hand looms that could be packed up whenever the tribe moved to another location.
The earliest known hand-knotted rug was found in 1949 in the Pazyrk valley in the Altai mountains in Southern Russia. It had been frozen in a burial mound and was remarkably well preserved. Experts have dated the Pazyrk carpet to the 4th or 5th centery B.C.
Persia (now Iran) and Turkey have been home to some of the greatest handmade rug weaving centers in history. Persian manuscripts from the time of King Chosroes I (who ruled Persia from 531-579) describe a magnificent rug called the “Spring Carpet of Chosroes”, which was hand knotted from wool and silk, embellished with gold, silver and trimmed with precious stones.
Marco Polo praised the carpets of Kerman (a city in south central Iran) as a marvel to see. Kerman was a major trade emporium linking the Persian Gulf with Khorasan and Central Asia when Marco Polo visited in 1271. The opening of the trade routes to the east brought these beautiful hand-made rugs to Europe, when Venice established itself as the major trader with the eastern countries.
Prized for their workmanship and artistry, the beautifully crafted handmade rugs from the East found their way into the castles and homes of the nobility in Europe as floor coverings and wall hangings. Ventians decorated their gondolas with them and hung them from their windows.
They also found their way into the paintings of the great masters in Europe, often appearing as backdrops or in the foreground, painted with great detail in all their rich colors. Hans Holbein, a master painter, painted them so often that the rugs were often referred to as "Holbein Carpets."
A number of fine handmade rugs survive from Persia's "Golden Age of Carpet-Making," from the 16th century through the first half of the 18th century. They are reknowned for the originality of their designs and their use of color.
In 1891, Vienna hosted an extraordinary exhibition of carpets at the imperial Austrian Trade Museum. Handmade oriental rugs were displayed by major traders and drawn from the Austrian royalty. A few years later, the famous Ardabil carpet was restored and placed on display. The Ardabil carpet is currently held in the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
The public displays resutled in tremendous interest in Persian rugs by scholars, and publishers. Books featuring pictures and the fascinating history and weaving methods were produced, generating tremendous interest in Europe and North America. The wealthy in America invested in them, creating a speculative art market.
Interest in handmade rugs form the orient has grown continually since then, with the rug makers of the middle east and orient creating new sizes and designs to satisfy the European and American markets. To this day, these wonderful works of art grace homes, bringing the rich traditions of a long history to those who love, collect and invest in handmade rugs.
