Southern Calif Fires Sept 2009
October 31, 2009 No Comments
Persian carpet
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The Persian carpet (Pahlavi bōb Persian farš فرش, meaning “to spread” and qāli) is an essential part of Persian art and culture. Carpet-weaving is undoubtedly one of the most distinguished manifestations of Persian culture and art, and dates back to ancient Persia. In 2008, Iran’s exports of hand-woven carpets was $420 million. There is an estimated population of 1.2 million weavers in Iran producing carpets for domestic markets and international export. In recent times Iranian carpets have come under fierce competition from other countries producing fakes of the original Iranian designs as well as genuine cheaper substitutes.
Persian carpets can be divided into three groups; Farsh / 'Qālii' (sized anything greater than 6×4 feet), Qālicheh (meaning rug, sized 6×4 feet and smaller), and nomadic carpets known as Kilim, (including Zilu, meaning rough carpet).
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History
The art of carpet weaving existed in Iran in ancient times, according to evidence such as the 2500-year-old Pazyryk carpet, dating back to 500 B.C., during the Achaemenid period.
The first documented evidence on the existence of Persian carpets came from Chinese texts dating back to the Sassanid period (224 - 641 CE).
This art underwent many changes in various eras of the Iranian history to an extent that it passed an upward trend before the Islamic era until the Mongols invasion of Iran. After the invasion, the art began to grow again during the reign of the Mongol dynasties of Timurid and Ilkhanid.
With the passage of time, the materials used in carpets, including wool, silk and cotton, decay. Therefore archaeologists are rarely able to make any particularly useful discoveries during archaeological excavations. What has remained from early times as evidence of carpet-weaving is nothing more than a few pieces of worn-out carpets. Such fragments do not help very much in recognizing the carpet-weaving characteristics of pre-Seljuk period (13th and 14th centuries AD) in Persia.
Pre-Islamic period
The Pazyryk Carpet, the oldest known surviving carpet in the world, 5th century BC.
In a unique archaeological excavation in 1949, the exceptional Pazyryk carpet was discovered among the ices of Pazyryk Valley, in Altai Mountains in Siberia. The carpet was found in the grave of a Scythian prince. Radiocarbon testing indicated that the Pazyryk carpet was woven in the 5th century BC. This carpet is 283 by 200 cm (approximately 9.3 by 6.5 ft) and has 36 symmetrical knots per cm² (232 per inch²).. The advanced weaving technique used in the Pazyryk carpet indicates a long history of evolution and experience in this art. Pazyryk carpet is considered as the oldest carpet in the world. Its central field is a deep red color and it has two wide borders, one depicting deer and the other Persian horseman.
However, it is believed that the carpet from Pazyryk is not likely a nomadic product, but a product of the Achaemenid period.
Historical records show that the Achaemenian court of Cyrus the Great at Pasargade was decked with magnificent carpets. This was over 2500 years ago. Alexander II of Macedonia is said to have been dazzled by the carpets in the tomb area of Cyrus the Great at Pasargade.
By the sixth century, Persian carpets of wool or silk were renowned in court circles throughout the region. The Bahârestân (spring) carpet of Khosrow I was made for the main audience hall of the Sasanians imperial Palace at Ctesiphon in Sasanian province of Khvârvarân (nowadays Iraq). It was 450 feet (140 m) long and 90 feet (27 m) wide and depicted a formal garden. In 7th century CE With occupation of the Sasanian capital, Tuspawn, the Baharestan carpet was taken by the Arabs, cut into small fragments and divided among the victorious soldiers as booty.
According to historians, the famous Tāqdis throne was covered with 30 special carpets representing 30 days of a month and four other carpets representing the four seasons of a year.
Islamic period
From the yarn fiber to the colors, every part of the Persian carpet is traditionally hand made from natural ingredients over the course of many months. This arduous process is shown in the Japanese/Iranian film The Wind Carpet.
In the 8th century A.D. Azarbaijan Province was among the largest centers of carpet and rough carpet (ziloo) weaving in Iran. The Province of Tabarestan, besides paying taxes, sent 600 carpets to the courts of caliphs in Baghdad every year. At that time, the main items exported from that region were carpets, and small carpets for saying prayers. Furthermore, the carpets of Khorassan, Sistan and Bukhara, because of their prominent designs and motifs were on high demands among purchasers.
During the reigns of the Seljuq and Ilkhanate dynasties, carpet weaving was still a booming business so much so that a mosque built by Ghazan Khan in Tabriz, northwestern Iran, was covered with superb Persian carpets. Sheep were specially bred to produce fine wool for weaving carpets. Carpet designs depicted by miniature paintings belonging to the Timurid era lend proof to the development of this industry at that time. There is also another miniature painting of that time available which depicts the process of carpet weaving.
During that era dyeing centers were set up next to carpet weaving looms. The industry began to thrive until the attack on Iran by the Mongol army.
The earliest surviving of the Persian carpets from this period is of a Safavid (1501-1736) carpet known as the Ardabil Carpet, currently in V&A Museum in London. This most famous of Persian carpets has been the subject of endless copies ranging in size from small carpets to full scale carpets. There is an 'Ardabil' at 10 Downing Street and even Hitler had an 'Ardabil' in his office in Berlin.
The carpets are woven in 1539-40 according to the dated inscriptions. The foundation is of silk and the pile of wool with a knot density at 300-350 knots per square inch ( 470-540.000 knots per square metres). The size of the carpets are 34 1/2 feet by 17 1/2 feet ( 10,5 metres x 5,3 metres). Los Angeles County Museum of Art See also Victoria & Albert Museum
There is much variety among classical Persian carpets of the 16th and 17th century. There are numerous sub-regions that contribute distinctive designs to Persian carpets of this period such as Tabriz and Lavar Kerman. Common motifs include scrolling vine networks, arabesques, palmettes, cloud bands, medallions, and overlapping geometric compartments rather than animals and humans. Figural designs are particularly popular in the Iranian market and are not nearly as common in carpets exported to the west.
Modern period
Although carpet production is now mostly mechanized, traditional hand woven carpets are still widely found all around the world, and usually have higher prices than their machine woven counterparts due to them being an artistic presentation. Iran exported $517 million worth of hand woven carpets in 2002. Iran's carpet exports amounted to US$635 million in 2005, according to the figures from the state-owned Iran Carpet Company. Most are top-notch hand-woven products. In October 2007, National Iranian Carpet Center revealed that hand-woven carpets have ranked first in country's non-oil exports and hold the third position among overall exports. Nearly five million workers are engaged in the Iranian carpet industry, making it one of the biggest enterprises in the country.
In recent times Iranian carpets have come under fierce competition from other countries producing fakes of the original Iranian designs as well as genuine cheaper substitutes. Most of the problems facing this traditional art is due to absence of patenting and branding the products as well as reduced quality of raw materials in the local market and the consistent loss of original design patterns. The absence of modern R&D, is causing rapid decline in the size as well as market value of this art.
To give one example, the “Carpet of Wonder” in the Grand Sultan Qaboos Mosque in Muscat in the Sultanate of Oman measures 4343 square metres. Its construction required four years of labor by 600 workers, resulting in 12 million man hours of work.
Materials
Wool is the most common material for carpets but cotton is frequently used for the foundation of city and workshop carpets. There are a wide variety in types of wool used for weaving. Those of which include Kork wool, Manchester wool, and in some cases even Camel Hair wool. Silk carpets date back to at least the sixteenth century in Sabzavar and the Seventeenth century in Kashan and Yezd.[citation needed] Silk carpets are less common than wool carpets since silk is more expensive and less durable; they tend to increase in value with age. Due to their rarity, value and lack of durability, silk carpets are often displayed on the wall like tapestries rather than being used as floor coverings.
Designs, motifs, and patterns
Elements of the Persian carpet.
Persian rugs are made up of a layout and a design which in general included one or a number of motifs. The Iran Carpet Company, a specialist in the subject, has attempted to classify Persian carpet designs and has carried out studies of thousands of rugs. Their results show that there have been slight alterations and improvements to almost all original designs. In its classification the company has called the original designs as the 'main pattern' and the derivatives as the 'sub patterns'. They have identified 19 groups, including: historic monuments and Islamic buildings, Shah Abbassi patterns, spiral patterns, all-over patterns, derivative patterns, interconnected patterns, paisley patterns, tree patterns, Turkoman patterns, hunting ground patterns, panel patterns, European flower patterns, vase patterns, intertwined fish patterns, Mehrab patterns, striped patterns, geometric patterns, tribal patterns, and composites. For detailed classification of Iranian Carpets see also Caroun
Design
Design can be described in terms of the manner in which it organizes the field of the rug. One basic design may serve the entire field, or the surface may be covered by a pattern of repeating figures. In areas using long-established local designs, the weaver often works from memory, with the patterns passed on within the family. This is usually sufficient for simple rectilinear design. For the more elaborate curvilinear designs, the patterns are carefully drawn to scale in the proper colours on grahp paper. Each square thus becomes a knot, which allows for an accurate rendition of even the most complex design. Designs have changed little through centuries of weaving. Today computers are used in the production of scale drawings for the weavers.
Layout
Persian rugs are typically designed using one of three patterns: all-over, central medallion and one-sided. Some abstract unsymmetrical design can be found but most of these can be described as one-sided or unidirectional.
Motifs
There are a number of patterns which are found in Persian and Oriental rugs called 'motifs', these designs have different meanings and tend to be used depending on the area the rug was woven although it is not unusual to find more than one motif in a single rug.
Some of the more common motifs are:
Techniques and structuresThe Long Weaving Process
Wax figure of weaver of carpets in Fars History museum The weaving of pile rugs is a difficult and tedious process which, depending on the quality and size of the rug, may take anywhere from a few months to several years to complete. To begin making a rug, you need a foundation consisting of warps strong, thick threads of cotton, wool or silk which run the length of the rug and wefts similar threads which pass under and over the warps from one side to the other. The warps on either side of the rug are normally combined into one or more cables of varying thickness that are overcast to form the selvedge. Weaving normally begins by passing a number of wefts through the bottom warp to form a base to start from. Loosely piled knots of dyed wool or silk are then tied around consecutive sets of adjacent warps to create the intricate patterns in the rug. As more rows are tied to the foundation, these knots become the pile of the rug. Between each row of knots, one or more shots of weft are passed to tightly pack down and secure the rows. When the rug is completed, the warp ends form the fringes that may be weft-faced, braided, tasseled, or secured in some other manner. LoomsLooms do not vary greatly in essential details, but they do vary in size and sophistication. The main technical requirement of the loom is to provide the correct tension and the means of dividing the warps into alternate sets of leaves. A shedding device allows the weaver to pass wefts through crossed and uncrossed warps, instead of laboriously threading the weft in and out of the warps. Horizontal LoomsThe simplest form of loom is a horizontal; one that can be staked to the ground or supported by sidepieces on the ground. The necessary tension can be obtained through the use of wedges. This style of loom is ideal for nomadic people as it can be assembled or dismantled and is easily transportable. Rugs produced on horizontal looms are generally fairly small and the weave quality is inferior to those rugs made on a professional standing loom. Vertical LoomsVertical looms are undoubtedly more comfortable to operate. These are found more in city weavers and sedentary peoples because they are hard to dismantle and transport. There is no limit to the length of the carpet that can be woven on a vertical loom and there is no restriction to its width. There are three broad groups of vertical looms, all of which can be modified in a number of ways: the fixed village loom, the Tabriz or Bunyan loom, and the roller beam loom. The fixed village loom is used mainly in Iran and consists of a fixed upper beam and a moveable lower or cloth beam which slots into two sidepieces. The correct tension is created by driving wedges into the slots. The weavers work on an adjustable plank which is raised as the work progresses. The Tabriz loom, named after the city of Tabriz, is used in North Western Iran. The warps are continuous and pass around behind the loom. Tension is obtained with wedges. The weavers sit on a fixed seat and when a portion of the carpet has been completed, the tension is released and the carpet is pulled down and rolled around the back of the loom. This process continues until the rug is completed, when the warps are severed and the carpet is taken off the loom. The roller beam loom is a traditional Turkish village loom, but is also found in Iran and India. It consists of two movable beams to which the warps are attached. Both beams are fitted with ratchets or similar locking devices and completed work is rolled on to the lower beam. It is possible to weave very long rugs by these means, and in some areas of Turkey rugs are woven in series. ToolsIn order to operate the loom, the weaver needs a number of essential tools: a knife for cutting the yarn as the knots are tied; a comb-like instrument for packing down the wefts; and a pair of shears for trimming the pile. In Tabriz the knife is combined with a hook to tie the knots which lets the weavers produce very fine rugs, as their fingers alone are too thick to do the job.
Some traditional tools of the craft. A small steel comb is sometimes used to comb out the yarn after each row of knots is completed. This both tightens the weave and clarifies the design. A variety of instruments are used for packing the weft. Some weaving areas in Iran known for producing very fine pieces use additional tools. In Kerman, a saber like instrument is used horizontally inside the shed, and in Bidjar a heavy nail like tool is used. Bidjar is also famous for their wet loom technique, which consists of wetting the warp, weft, and yarn with water throughout the weaving process to make the elements thinner and finer. This allows for tighter weaving. When the rug is complete and dried, the wool and cotton expand to make the rug incredibly dense and strong. A number of different tools may be used to shear the wool depending on how the rug is trimmed as the rug progresses or when it is complete. Often in Chinese rugs the yarn is trimmed after completion and the trimming is slanted where the color changes, giving an embossed three-dimensional effect. The KnotsTwo basic knots are used in most Persian Carpets and Oriental rugs: the symmetrical Turkish or Ghiordes knot (used in Turkey, the Caucasus, East Turkmenistan, and some Turkish and Kurdish areas of Iran), and the asymmetrical Persian or Senneh knot (Iran, India, Turkey, Pakistan, China, and Egypt). To make a Turkish knot, the yarn is passed between two adjacent warps, brought back under one, wrapped around both forming a collar, then pulled through the center so that both ends emerge between the warps. The Persian knot is used for finer rugs. The yarn is wrapped around only one warp, then passed behind the adjacent warp so that it divides the two ends of the yarn. The Persian knot may open on the left or the right, and rugs woven with this knot are generally more accurate and symmetrical. Other knots include the Spanish knot looped around single alternate warps so the ends are brought out on either side and the Jufti knot which is tied around four warps instead. Knotted pile carpetsFlat-woven carpetsFlat woven carpets are given their colour and pattern from the weft which is tightly intertwined with the warp. Rather than an actual pile, the foundation of these rugs gives them their design. The weft is woven between the warp until a new colour is needed, it is then looped back and knotted before a new colour is implemented. The most popular of flat-weaves is called the Kilim. Kilim rugs (along with jewellery, clothing and animals) are important for the identity and wealth of nomadic tribes-people. In their traditional setting Kilims are used as floor and wall coverings, horse-saddles, storage bags, bedding and cushion covers. Various forms of flat-weaves exist including:
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October 30, 2009 No Comments
The Persian Rug - Art Or Craft?
“Where the spirit does not work with the hand there is no art.”
Tied by hand, one knot at a time, a Persian rug can take months or even years to create. Whether knotted from a precise design plate or 'cartoon' in a city workshop or inspired by the imagination of its tribal weaver, the Persian or Oriental rug is an object of skill and beauty… but is it truly art?
The expertise and elegance involved in the creation of a handmade carpet is a team process, the wool is sheared and spun before the dying process (often using natural plant and vegetable extracts), in a city setting the design is then drawn by hand, a painstaking process where the artist paints one dot at a time. The rug is then knotted, a process which takes many months, a form of paint by numbers on a grand scale. In a tribal dwelling the weaver often uses their own designs and inspiration. Ryan Malone of Little-Persia believes Persian rugs are art, art in its most natural and pure form:
“Pablo Picasso believed that 'Painting is just another way of keeping a diary'. For many of our tribal rugs this could be taken in a literal sense. Nomadic weavers initially knotted rugs as a means of earning money for food and whatever clothing and shelter they could not produce themselves. Today many tribal rugs act as a diary of the weavers' life, a representation of their possessions, wealth or lifestyle - whatever is most important to them. War rugs act as a historic reference to key moments in history, for better or worse. Abstract expressionist, Jackson Pollock stated: 'every good painter paints what he is' in tribal rugs a small piece of the weaver's soul is attached to each rug.
“With city rugs, intricate designs are often borrowed from nature and architecture or religious and cultural symbols. From simple elephant and camel prints to the extravagant mogul gardens and the detailed carvings on the domes of ancient mosques and palaces, inspiration comes from the life and surroundings of the rug artists. City rugs demonstrate the weavers' aptitude in the use of symmetry, detail and colour.
“Similar to the various ideologies that exist in painting rugs can differ in purpose and appeal. However, no matter if the rug is tribal or city woven, the end goal is the same, to paraphrase Banksy: 'the holy grail is to spend less time making the rug than it takes people to look at it.' A tough ask when a Persian rug can takes months or years to make.”
October 30, 2009 No Comments
Talk:Azerbaijani rug
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is this about the republic of azerbaijan carpets?Khosrow II 19:21, 25 July 2006 (UTC)
Its about the entire Azerbaijan's carpets including South and Northern Azerbaijan. Tabriz is part of the Southern Azerbaijan and therefore part of the Azerbaijan carpets. Stop vandalizing this web site. Your persian chavinism does not know limits. –Rembranth 20:51, 28 July 2006 (UTC)
No, Tabriz is part of Iran, not R. of Azerbaijan. This article is about the rugs of the Republic of Azerbaijan.Khosrow II 20:52, 28 July 2006 (UTC)
you might want to see it in that way. But Azerbaijni carpets are all Azerbainis carpets, this includes Tabriz carpets as well.
- not when there is a seperate nation. things get confused that way. tabriz is not in the republic of azerbaijan, and has nothing to do with carpets made in the r. of azerbaijan.Khosrow II 21:54, 28 July 2006 (UTC)
Not my friend. Tabriz is Azerbaijani city and carptets made by Tabriz need to be classified as Azerbaijani carpets. Tabriz and everything made there are part of the Azerbaijan civilization.–Rembranth 16:36, 31 July 2006 (UTC)
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- Tabriz rug is categorized as Persian Rug in all the rug stores of the word.Gol 00:58, 2 August 2006 (UTC)
Protection
I have fully-protected the article due to revert-warring between the editors. Please discuss changes on the talk page & reach a consensus rather than engaging in edit-warring. Request unprotection once a compromise has been reached. –Srikeit (Talk | Email) 03:29, 2 August 2006 (UTC)
- Time to unblock and see what happens? It's been unblocked for over a week. If not could the link to Persian be disambiguated to Persian peoples. — Jeff3000 03:28, 10 August 2006 (UTC)
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- Edited out, mistake.Khosrow II 14:32, 10 August 2006 (UTC)
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- Then the link to Persian must be removed. It is a disambiguation page, and nothing should be linked to it. Protection is not supposed to be foreever. I'm going to contact the protecting administrator. — Jeff3000 13:30, 10 August 2006 (UTC)
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The only link to “persian” I see in the article refers to Nezami. The link should then refer to “persian litterature”. Arash the Bowman 14:00, 10 August 2006 (UTC)
- The phrase from the article is
- “Azerbaijani carpet depicting Nizami Gandjavi, the famous Persian poet of Azerbaijan“
- Notice the that the adjective Persian relates to the ethnicity of the poet, and not the literature. If there was a phrase such as the “the Persian poem“, then the link should go to “Persian literature”. Now back to the ethnicity. Usually such a link would be disambiguated to Iran, but given that the phrase includes “of Azerbaijan” it makes it tricky; Azerbaijan is not only a country, but also a region of Iran, and so Iran can't be linked directly. Instead the Persian people link is more wide and makes it clear the the poem is of Persian descent, but doesn't make it necessarily of Iran. — Jeff3000 14:31, 10 August 2006 (UTC)
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- Oh Jeff I am so sorry, Im in the wrong article! I thought this was the Tabriz Rug page! Sorry about it, disregard my above statment!Khosrow II 14:32, 10 August 2006 (UTC)
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- No problem :) — Jeff3000 14:36, 10 August 2006 (UTC)
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- Nizami is of kurdish heritage, the link of Persian should take the person to the Persian literature page.Khosrow II 16:33, 10 August 2006 (UTC)
- If he's Kurdish, then it should be written “Azerbaijani carpet depicting Nizami Gandjavi, the famous Kurdish poet of Azerbaijan” Persian in that part of the sentence means ethnicity. — Jeff3000 16:50, 10 August 2006 (UTC)
- Nizami is of kurdish heritage, the link of Persian should take the person to the Persian literature page.Khosrow II 16:33, 10 August 2006 (UTC)
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- well, he is half kurdish, that is for sure but he is a persian (as in language) poet as in he wrote in Persian. We can change it to Kurdish Persian Poet , with Persian linking to Persian literature.Khosrow II 17:40, 10 August 2006 (UTC)
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- Speaking a language is very different than an ethnicity. In English when someone writes in the style
- British football player
- Canadian politician
- Chinese professor
- The adjective means ethnicity, and given that Nizami is Kurdish, the adjective should be Kurdish. The fact that he wrote in Persian does not change his enthnicity. You can have a Chinese persian living in the US and writing in English, but he does not become American just for the sake that he is writing in English.
- Either Nizami is Kurdish, and the link should be changed to Kurdish people, or he's of Persian ancestry living in Azerbaijan, and then the link should be changed to Persian people. Regardless, this article is not about the poet, and thus every detail about him should not be in here. That he wrote in the Persian language and he is reknown in Persian literature is of little importance in this article. — Jeff3000 17:48, 10 August 2006 (UTC)
- Speaking a language is very different than an ethnicity. In English when someone writes in the style
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I have changed it to Kurdish. As noted above, in the English language, the adjective represents ethnicity, and a link to Persian literature is not applicable regardless of what language he wrote in. — Jeff3000 18:11, 10 August 2006 (UTC)
- I have now unprotected the page. Also due to the lack of any kind of dispute resolution dialogue here, I recommend that the editors of this article restrict themselves to the one revert rule (1RR) especially Khosrow II & Rembranth (who were involved in the previous edit war). Any further edit-warring will lead to immediate blocking of the involved parties and re-protection of the article. –Srikeit (Talk | Email) 18:10, 10 August 2006 (UTC)
Everything here indicating that Nizami Ganjevi is a Persian or Kurdish is total nonsense. There has never been any Kurdish presence in Gandja, a city of Azerbaijan. And if he was a persian he wouldn't write a humilating story about Persian and he wouldn't praise Alexander the Great, the person who destroyed persians. This implies that he is of original pure Azerbaijani Turkish poet and it needs to be known like this.
I will also add Tabriz carpets as Tabriz and everything made there belong to the Azerbaijani civilzation and made by Azerbaiajnis, not by persians and kurdish, but by Azerbaijanis. I woudl request the facilitators to stop Persian fascists and chuavinists from vandalizing this page. Rembrandth
move
I do not see much scholarly support for the term “Azerbaijani rug” (either you know it or see this). According to the handy reference page 1 the classification of “oriental carpets” is the famous one that everybody has heard (Persian, Caucasian, Turkic, Greek, ..). I propose a move to “Carpets of Azerbaijan”.–Xashaiar (talk) 10:26, 3 August 2009 (UTC)
October 30, 2009 No Comments
Classic and Authentic Oriental Cushion
If you like to decorate your house with oriental and classic ornaments, make sure that you have incorporated the whole interior with a specific design. The display of antiques should likewise be paired with peripheral ornaments in order to achieve the classic edge in your living room. You can place antique rugs, oriental cushions, and seat or sofa covers that display classic features that go with the whole theme. For antique collectors, there are cushions that are aged to achieve a unique antique quality. These are the semi-antique oriental cushions made by the tribes of Central Asia.
The tribe of Central Asia feature ethnic groups with rich culture and traditions. Most of them inhibit the mountains and are secured in their own surroundings. This is the reason why they are free from domination by any other neighboring tribes. Likewise, their culture stays intact and rich. Everything that they use and produce purely reflect their culture and expertise. Over the centuries, they have learned how to use the resources around them to survive and enrich their lives. This includes weaving essential clothing materials and other useful materials, such as oriental cushions. With no intention to mass produce these products in order to preserve their ingenuity, people opt for such products. In this sense, they become even more valuable in the eyes of these people.
One set of oriental cushion is composed of 4 unique pillows with matching designs. They are certified hand made and authentic. With their classic edge, they have the ability to turn any room into a stunning antique setting. Of course, the oriental cushions have to go with the whole decorations in order to achieve such an interior motif.
The oriental cushions live by its name. They are originally oriental in its every aspect, including the design and materials. The materials used are natural vegetable and tree dyes that make wool fabric. The method of weaving may vary in order to create different woven materials for various purposes. For the oriental cushion, they ensure that the fabric crafted and used is softer than most woven cloths. For materials such as animal trappings and carpet rugs, they weave harder ones. All of these are sturdy and strong because they are meant to be used in daily activities. Moreover, since they are made by tribes located in most mountainous parts of Central Asia, the designs used showcase the traditions.
Originally, the oriental cushions and other similar woven products are created by the tribes with intended practical uses. These are materials used in their everyday lives and are part of their traditions. They weave useful materials such as rugs, pillows, sack, and animal trappings. Since they remain part of the culture as useful materials and a source of their livelihood, they become valuable to a number of antique enthusiasts. In addition, they are not mass produced, which preserves the value of the rare hand woven products. These products, such as the oriental cushions are perfect for those who want to achieve uniqueness in their home furnishing.
March 3, 2009 No Comments
Kilim: the Rug Weaving the Culture of Ancient Tribes
Weaving Kilim rugs is believed to have started thousands of years ago because of their existence in ancient Egyptian tombs. They are originally made by different tribes that practices weaving for their survival on places with cold weather. Kilim rugs are flat-weave rugs that are known to be the ancient relatives of carpets, which are commonly used in homes today.
Kilims show the creativity of our ancestors through the designs and patterns woven. The designs and patterns on those rugs symbolize different things that are present in their environment. The colors, patterns and designs of modern Kilims are still based on the antique Kilim rugs. Those symbols are believed to be used by our ancestors in Atlas Mountains, the Navajo Indians, Indians of the Andes, and Afghan nomads.
The colors of kilim rugs have different meanings. Yellow stands for pomegranate peel, vine leaves, and weld while brown represents walnut shells and bark of oak tree. Green color is a combination of indigo and weld while black is for walnuts Larkspur. Henna is for flowers and leaves and Purple represents hollyhocks.
The designs of Kilims, on the other hand, usually have hidden meanings rooted on the mythology, beliefs and legends during ancient times. Variations on the symbols used in weaving the Kilim rugs are based on the region where the kilims are woven. Most common motifs of kilims are eye, ram’s horn, wheatear, pomegranate, bird, tree of life, spider, snake and diamond-shaped motifs. The eye motif symbolizes charm and is used to prevent misfortune due to the envious and malicious eyes of the people who gaze with evil purpose. These types of kilim rugs are found in African and Asian countries. These rugs are believed to protect the people living in the house where these rugs are used.
The rams’ horn motifs are used as design in Kilim rugs to symbolize power because in ancient Anatolian civilizations, the horns of rams are believed to be the source of power of gods. The wheatear motif and the pomegranate motif, on the other hand, are used to attract or add prosperity in a home. The wheatear symbolizes fertility of earth while the pomegranate is the fruit, which has plenty of seeds representing wealth. The bird motif are believed to attract good news from far away and is typically used by people who have relatives or loved ones who are far from them.
The tree of life motif used in Kilim rugs designs represents the relationship between the spiritual world and the mortal life while the spider motif represents the magnificent ability of Arachne as a weaver. The spider motif however is related to the tree of life motif because the snake is believed to be the protector of the tree of life. It symbolizes life energy and rebirth. Lastly, the diamond-shaped motif that is very important to women during the ancient times symbolizes maternity. Women weaving this type of kilim rugs are wishing to bear a child soon.
With those magnificent symbols and patterns and the symbols or meanings associated with them, Kilim rugs are becoming popular as home décor bringing protection, prosperity and luck to the members living in the home.
March 2, 2009 No Comments
The Shaggy Kirghiz Rug
If you opt for a more shaggy rag that is authentic and classic looking at the same time, choose the Kirghiz Rug. The overall design provides an edge of messiness because of the shaggy details, which are preferred by people who want variations in their antique rugs. This makes the Kirghiz rug even more perfect for any home interior with the classic theme or those modern homes with a touch of antiqueness.
The Kirghiz tribes, originating from the Paleo-Siberian ethnicity, were originally inhabitants of west Lake Baikal but were banished by the Uighurs and the Mongols in the area during the medieval times. This turned them into nomads traveling the Silk Road over the tribe’s lifetime until they found permanent home in the lowlands of Pamir.
Among their livelihoods is weaving. With the enticing designs that they produce, many people in the neighboring areas and beyond source rugs from them. They are especially proficient in making woven wools for a variety of purposes, such as the famous Kirghiz rug, pillows, saddle bags, and other types of products where their fabrics can be used. They are also efficient in making reed screens as well. On the other hand, they are proud to keep the production of the rugs at a low level. Their condition as ancient tribes allows them to stay isolated from corrupted influences in commercializing their rugs. This implies that each Kirghiz rug that they produce is special and laden with their own traditions.
The Kirghiz rug is oriental in nature because of the culture of its makers. Likewise, it is produced with their traditions in mind. For the materials, they use colorful vegetable dyed wool that is exceptionally found in the Kirghiz tribe. Even it is popular enough to be mass produced, each individual still devote ample amount of time in weaving the rugs. Surprisingly, even if the Kirghiz rugs are hand woven, their skills allows them to produce many rugs at the same time.
Like all the other Oriental rugs, each Kirghiz rug is hand woven by an individual whose artistic characteristics are shown on the patterns of the rug. This implies that each design is unique and has the ability serve different kinds of tastes. This feature is not enforced among the nomads. Rather, it is a characteristic of the Kirghiz rug to be produced distinctively as a result of individual emotions. This makes the rug truly cultural and valuable for us.
In addition, each Kirghiz rug is hand woven with the goal of making it fit for practical uses. They are robustly woven because the rug is initially made in order to serve many types of tribal needs. Either as a pillow or sack, the Kirghiz rug is truly a part of their culture. This means that the rugs produced are very sturdy so that they can be used effectively. For those who buy it as home decors, its sturdiness allows the rugs to be considered as antiques in its lifetime as well.
March 1, 2009 No Comments
Enhancing Your Creativity using Afghan Rugs
In decorating your home, there are several parts that you want to high light or make them stand out. Afghan rugs could give an accent and creative division on different parts of the house when placed under furniture. One example is giving an emphasis on the chairs and table in your dining area using Afghan rugs. Those rugs could emphasize the dining table and chairs giving the dining area a decent look and a distinction from the other parts of the house.
Afghan rugs are handmade rugs, which originated in Afghanistan. They are made from yarns stitched together. Since yarns are generally made with large diameters, those rugs have many pores or holes in them. Rugs made from yarn, especially the Afghan rugs are of different colors. They are also made with different designs and shapes. Most of the Afghan rugs have octagonal shape designed with different colors and patterns. The designs and patterns of those rugs are made using yarns of different color from the base of the rug or by dyeing the parts of the rugs to create a pattern. Creative patterns made by the Afghan people also convey their culture making it a best choice in home décor.
Rugs have different uses, they are mostly used as floor cover to insulate the floor and prevent the people from walking on a cold surface. Afghan rugs are also woven together to form a blanket. Because they are made of yarn, they could be a good blanket and keep us warm. Rugs created with many holes could provide pores where air will be trapped. These holes give the rugs good insulation properties preventing the heat to escape and keeping us warm during cold days. The problem in using those Afghan rugs as blanket is the itchy texture of the stitched yarns making the people uncomfortable. Rugs especially those old and antique rugs could also be hung on the wall to display its astounding designs and patterns. Using Afghan rugs as bed and table covers are also a good idea but you must consider different factors. When you use those rugs as table cover, you have to remember that things that will be placed on top of those rugs could damage and destroy the design of the rugs. There other uses of rugs and it will depend on your creativity in designing your home.
There are companies offering different types of rugs on their websites that could give you the details on different Afghan rugs. Some websites will give you an idea on choosing the best design and patterns of Afghan rugs that will suit the theme of your home décor. Prices of those rugs are also available on line. Usually, the prices depend on the design and patterns, size, quality, age, condition and the materials used in weaving those rugs. You will not have problems on choosing the designs of those rugs that you will be using in designing your house. With the creativity of the people who knitted the Afghan rugs, your decorating skills will come out naturally.
February 28, 2009 No Comments
The Simple Baluch Kilim
For those who just love antiques, the Baluch Kilim flat weave products are specially preserved and aged for up to 70 years. These certified authentic rugs crafted by the people of the Balochi tribe. The design features simplicity and caters to people with such preference. Made from colorful dyed wools, the Baluch Kilim carpets are produced in a variety of colors that can fit a range of interior types. Antique lovers are particularly enticed with this rug type because of its age.
The weavers of the Baluch Kilim rugs and similar products belong to same tribe that produces the Baluch fabrics. The ultimate difference lies in the method of weaving, which is flat. A flat weave is done without the knots. Rather, the rug is crafted in a foundation using woven fibers, which result to a very flat surface, but with a little texture. It parallels a tapestry and other similar products. Although the Baluch Kilim is a diversion from the other weave pattern, it presents a wide range of design applications as well.
Consequently, there is also a difference that can be significantly seen the design, which shows simple instead of varied patterns. Essentially, the rugs of Baluch feature a more vibrant pattern and design, while the Baluch Kilim shows simplicity with the line patterns due to the flat weave. This demonstrates the tribe’s significant attention to details as well as focus on their tribe’s appeal to a diverse market worldwide. Without the intention of commercializing the rugs, this variation by the Baluch tribe is truly classical and representative of their culture.
The Baluch Kilim rug is part of their culture, but weaving in general is one of the tribe’s notable livelihoods. This fact increases the value of each hand woven product to many people. Instead of buying mass produced rugs for their homes, people want to showcase uniqueness through other people’s culture and traditions. They want the products that evoke stories to make their interior collection to be precious and enticing enough for its inhabitants. Although generally intended for practical uses, the Baluch Kilim rug becomes semi-antique decors in homes of people worldwide.
The Baluch Kilim rugs are among the most compelling flat weave works in the Central Asia until today. Despite its simplicity, the richness of the ornamentation is clearly visible in each rug made by the Balochi people. Each hand weave is made unique and usually, no two designs are similar. One probable reason for this is that each weaver expresses their artistry and emotions when weaving their craft. In a way, they are expressing their traditions and culture through the Baluch Kilim rugs and other products.
In addition, these fabrics are used in making many of their materials for practical uses. Famous as carpets, the Baluch Kilim can also be table runners, hanged ornaments, and reed huts to boost the classic and antique edge of your home interior. With such uses in mind, the Balochi people make sure that each product is sturdy and resistant to easy breakage.
February 27, 2009 No Comments
A Decorative Touch of Ethnicity Using Tribal Weaving
During the ancient times, tribal weaving were already been practiced. Different tribes weave rugs to protect themselves from elements. These heavy cloths were developed into rugs that provided protection from the weather, wild animals and other harmful elements.
Geometric patterns are common in tribal weaving. The patterns, bright colors, and number of knots per unit area could produce beautiful rugs. These early community showed remarkable ability and creativity in dyeing, designing, and producing remarkable woven materials.
Tribal weaving became the source of the spreading wall hangings, carpets, rugs and other woven decorations that could be found in every house today. Furnishings out of woven materials are popular these days because they add a touch of ethnicity in every residence. The designs of the tribal weavings often give comfort and casual appeal to a residence making it popular as home décor.
One of the most prevalent styles is the rugs and carpet industry of Moroccan. Moroccan rugs and other tribal weavings are made by the Berbers. They are North African tribe who are living in Morocco. The plain geometric outline or designs of Moroccan rugs made by the Berbers had been used to give an elegant look for furnishings in many houses. The designs of Moroccan rugs are quite alike to those tribal weavings made by the Native Americans.
Another type of tribal weaving in Morocco is the kilims. The kilims are flat-weave rugs. They are light weight and created with red, blue, yellow, green, white and mauve motifs. Kilims confirm the ingenuity of our ancestors through the patterns and designs of those tribal weaving. The designs and patterns on those weavings stand for the different entities that are present in their surroundings. Those symbols are believed to be used by our ancestors in Atlas Mountains, the Navajo Indians, Indians of the Andes, and Afghan nomads.
Another popular tribal weaving is the Persian Tribal rug. The types of Persian Tribal Rugs are: Baluch Rugs, Shiraz Rugs, and Wiss Rugs. They are hand-woven by the tribes of Baluch, Shiraz, and Wiss tribes respectively. Baluch rugs are woven by the tribe dwelling in southern Iran. They customarily highlight the Persian tradition 2500 years ago to the styles and patterns that they use in making tribal weavings. The main colors that the Baluch tribes use are the ivory and navy.
The Shiraz rugs, on the other hand are usually woven long and plain-colored. Red is the color that is often used in weaving those kinds of Persian rugs. They have geometric patterns of plants and animals images. Lastly, the Wiss tribal weaving which are made by the tribe in the Village of Wiss in Iran, usually have garden elements designs and flower-like patterns. Dark red and burgundy colors are the common colors used by the Wiss tribes in weaving their rugs.
The prices of the tribal weavings depend on the colors used, quality and the complexity of designs. Wide range of sizes and designs of tribal weaving can be found on the internet. You just have to pick the best type of weaving that suits your taste.
February 26, 2009 No Comments


