Posts from — February 2009

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.

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.

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.

Oriental carpets are known for the elegance and comfort they added in the place where they can be seen. They are used as ornaments even during the ancient times because people have the need on embellishing the places where they live. To meet that need of beautifying their environment, the use of carpets as ornaments in houses emerged. There are investigations that confirmed the occurrence of oriental carpets during the ancient times. Some specialists believe that pile carpet was first used by the nomadic people of Central Asia to provide them insulation, protection from wild animals and comfort. The production of the relatives of the oriental carpets reached the Near East because those nomadic people had contacts in the Near East. Because of these, the Near East’s manner of producing carpets was greatly influenced by the nomadic culture. During the medieval period, the carpet making tradition reached the Islamic countries when those Asian people tried to take over the eastern Islamic world. The pile carpet making became a standard attribute of the Islamic culture and arts. Those elegant oriental carpets also caught the attention of the wealthy Europeans.

Because of the colonization of different countries, the carpet making tradition broaden proliferate all over the world. During the second half of the nineteenth century, the European’s interest in oriental carpets had been regained when the weaving of rug was revived under the Qajar dynasty. This period also got the Americans as market for those carpets. The carpet production in Turkey and India was also revived during this period. Because of the number of elegant designs of those carpets and rugs, the western countries became very fond of using oriental carpets, which led to the increase of its production up to the present time.

Recent development in the carpet production is the revitalization of the hand spinning of wool and the use of natural dye extracted from vegetables. This technique of making rugs added quality and design and can be well compare to the antique oriental carpets. However, antique carpets have still much value than the new ones. They create the link between the modern time and the ancient times. This is why antique carpets have to be protected and insured due to their high value.

Because oriental carpets carry the culture and tradition of the ancient people, antique carpets should be highly valued. Oriental carpet appraisal is normally done to find out the value of the antique carpets. Because of their magnificent designs and colors, those high-valued oriental carpets can be a big investment. This is why appraisal of those carpets are needed to protect them or for the owner to replace it in case that accidents that might cause damage or loss of those carpets.

Estimating the value of the oriental carpets is also needed if you want to sell those oriental carpets. The price of the carpets will depend on its design, condition, and its age. The design and complexity of the patterns of oriental carpet play a huge part in the cost of the carpet. The higher the intricacy of the design, the larger it would cost.

The term Oriental rug is used interchangeably as carpets. Such a connotation is popular and widely accepted to have similar meanings, despite differences in some cultures. Significantly, the Oriental rug pertains to the antique rugs crafted by the different tribes in Central Asia. Without the term “Oriental” a whole new perspective is presented and it is rather dry, without a renowned value at all. Consequently, the word “carpets” alone may present confusion. But for definition purposes, an Oriental rug is a type of carpet with differing symbolism and uses.

The Oriental rugs have long been in existence since the ancient times. They are produced by most tribes in the following

countries: Iran, Russia, Pakistan, Turkey, Nepal, China, India, Tibet, and some countries in the Middle East. Since these rugs are produced by different tribes, the whole Oriental rug package specifically shows the unique culture and traditions of the tribe. This is the reason why the oriental rugs produced by a specific tribe are named after the tribe.

Generally, each Oriental rug features an incredible variety in colors, sizes, designs, and weave. In addition, since they are hand woven, the designs remain unique from one another. These characteristics, along with the antique quality, make the Oriental rugs valuable in the eyes of many people worldwide.

Origin in Different Contexts

Origin

Many theories exist as to which country or tribe produced the first hand woven Oriental rug. One popular theory claims that the first rug is woven by one of the nomadic tribes in any country of Central Asia. According to the theory, the particular nomadic tribe was unwilling to slay several valuable animals or livestock for their hides, which were intended to be used as floor coverings. As a result, they tried using the hair of the sheep, camels, and goats in order to produce textiles that are almost similar to the needed animal hide. Seeing the result, they looked for similar resources and stumbled upon the fibers used for the rugs. Eventually, they also found out about the various natural dyes, such as vegetables and tree barks in order to create designs on the rugs. Since then, the Oriental rugs and similar products with practical uses came into being. They also became essential ornaments in many homes since the ancient times.

Physical Evidence

The first physical evidence of the Oriental rugs in the history of weaving was discovered in Siberia in 1949. The Pazyryk carpet, as it was called, was found in a royal tomb in the said country. It was greatly regarded for its incredible design and craftsmanship, which is judged by experts to be a product of long traditions. Its fine details and attention to the overall style were commended by many and served as inspiration to the weavers of today. In fact, the weaving technique used in the Pazyryk is still used until today by traditional weavers. Since its discovery, it was frozen using perma frost in order to preserve the carpet until today.

Literature

In literature, the Oriental rug made its first appearance in the script of the famous play entitled “Agamemnon,” which was written by Aeschylus in 500 BC. The part of the script containing the mention of the carpet was when Agamemnon commented on the carpets that his wife, Clytemnestra, prepared for his homecoming. Here, the carpets are spread on the floor when Agamemnon arrived. He acknowledged the beauty of the carpets, which is “a silver’s worth” while expressing his unwillingness to walk on them because of its worth and beauty.

Ancient Legend

Probably the most remarked legend involving the Oriental rug was during the rule of King Chosroes I in 531 - 579 CE. According to the legend, the Spring Carpet of Chosroes was woven in the memory of the defeat of Romans by this Persian king. Despite the defeat of the Persians by the Muslims in 641 CE, the carpet remained in the realm. The beauty of the rug is very evident as it had been woven with gold thread and precious gems. In addition, the design on the carpet incorporated the Persian King’s favorite sceneries in his kingdom. Records show that the size of the rug is 400 by 100 feet and is several tons heavy.

Evolution

Functions

The Oriental rugs’ functions in the ancient past varied from weaver to weaver. In most tribes in Central Asia, hand weaving served their basic needs, such as clothing for the tribesmen and their animals. Historians believed that the development of hand weaving started with the practical use. But seeing that it promised aesthetic values as well, many other tribes enriched this tradition by weaving for such purpose. Later on, its development allowed them to offer similar products to neighboring tribes and countries. This is where the proliferation of the Oriental rugs started.

Such practical uses are very evident among the tribes of the Middle East. Despite this, they still craft the rugs as if they are ornamental as well. They largely incorporate their culture and traditions to the patterns they use. Among the patterns evident of their identity are arabesque and geometric in nature.

In China, they are mostly ornamental. This is the reason why they incorporate their famous symbolisms to the designs of their Oriental rugs. These symbolisms are largely Confucian, Buddhist, and Taoist schools of thought. In India, however, the patterns and designs of the Oriental rugs portray only the Mogul rulers.

In other countries, the Oriental rugs serve both purposes, but with more inclination towards its value as a decoration. In fact, many countries in the past import the Oriental hand woven rug for the rich people, who believe that it depicts high status symbol. This is natural since only the wealthy people can afford these hand woven products, especially the Oriental rugs.

Proliferation

The Oriental rugs were introduced to the West during the period of the Crusades. The crusaders were extremely enthralled with the hand woven Oriental rugs and eventually increased the demand for them. Originally, they became status symbols for the wealthy and royal families rather than products for practical use because of its price. The Europeans’ fascination with the hand woven pieces has led the antiques into their own history books as symbols of wealth.

The propagation of the Oriental rugs and other similar hand woven products had continued over the centuries. During the 1600’s, the importation of the Oriental rugs had even affected the French economy because of the large importation level of the country. This cannot be helped since over time, the value of the Oriental rugs had really gone up and staying as a representation of a high status symbol certainly increased its price as well.

Development and Popularity

The Oriental rugs had been in the history for over 2000 years when the Islam propagated during the 7^th century. Under this rule, hand weaving continued to flourish. With more and more Muslim-conquered nations, this tradition had even branched out to several branches of various artistic statements and style.

The peak of hand weaving Oriental rugs must have happened during the 16^th to the 7^th centuries when they were in demanded by the wealthy families all over the world. Many other nations even started to duplicate the ancient tribe’s works. This may have contributed to the decline in value of the rugs, but the value of the antique ones created by the original ancient tribes may have been kept and sought around the world during those times.

Today, the Oriental rugs remain popular, despite the steady decline in demands since its peak. This, however, does not mean that the trade is over. In fact, many people seek antique rugs and similar products for their collections. Some of them are still demanded because of their practical uses, but many of these hand woven products mainly serve the people’s demand for classic and antique pieces. The Oriental rugs are valuable today because of its exciting and notable history.

Wall hangings can be found in every house. Those hangings give high aesthetic value in the interior of the house that is why wall hanging art is always used in interior decoration. Threads are woven into fabric which eventually creates an image. Wall hanging adds appeal and classy look in one’s house.

The art of weaving threads to create an image on the fabric is known as tapestries. Woven wall hangings are usually available in wide range of designs. The designs could be Renaissance, historical, European, tribal and any other designs. Most common designs are floral and animal patterns.

Designs of different wall hangings could also indicate the culture of the place where it is woven. Floral designs of wall hanging are usually made from Persia or India while geometrical designs are common in Caucasus or Turkoman. If you could see a wall hanging with exotic birds, dragons, or monsters designs, the décor absolutely came from China.

Oriental rugs are also used as wall hangings because some people don’t want to destroy their fabulous design by walking on it. They are also suited to be hung on the wall so that their unique designs could be well seen. Depending on the weight of the rugs, there are two ways of using oriental rugs as wall hanging. In case of hanging heavy rugs, the rugs should be sewn on three sections of circular rods with gaps between the rods while for lighter rugs, sewing or binding the upper edge of the rug in the cylindrical rod cold hold the rug and hung it on the wall.

Wall hangings could give aesthetic value as well as luck and could grant wishes depending on the designs and colors of the rugs used as wall hangings. Kilim rugs used as wall hangings could give luck to the people living in the house. There are different designs or motifs for those wall hangings: eye; ram’s horn; bird; tree of life; wheat ear; and snake.

The eye motif symbolizes charisma and is used to avoid misfortune while rams’ horn motifs are used as design to symbolize power because horns of rams are said to be the source of power of gods. The bird motif are believed to attract good news while the tree of life design of wall hangings suggest a good relation between the living and spiritual world. The wheat ear image and the pomegranate motif, on the other hand, are used to be a magnet for prosperity in a residence. The snake design however, symbolizes energy and rebirth.

Giving your home a creative look and luck at the same time using a wall hanging is a great deal in investing for home décor. It is like hitting birds with one stone. If you are interested in having those magnificent wall hangings in your home, you will find it easy to get details on the internet. Different on line sources could give you idea on what kind of wall hanging designs would suit your taste and the theme of your home décor.

One of the most popular rugs in the world today is the Persian rugs. They were invented thousands of years ago making those rugs part of the Persian culture and arts. The art of weaving being practiced by most of the people in Persia made the Persian rugs became one of the top export products of their country. Those rugs can be classified depending on the place where the rugs are woven and who wove those rugs.

There are two basic classifications of rugs: the Persian City Rugs and the Persian Tribal Rugs. Under these two classifications, there are different types depending on the name of the city and the tribe’s name where the Persian rugs are made.

Let us consider first the types of Persian rugs: Afshar Rugs; Tabriz Rugs; Kerman Rugs; and Kashan Rugs. The first two (Afshar and Tabriz rugs) are designed with geometric patterns. Afshar rugs are smaller than other types and usually made of wool and cotton. Common designs and patterns of Afshar rugs are connected diamond-shaped medallions, botehs, roses and chicken.

Afshar rugs are available in dark colors, usually brown, reddish brown, dark blue, reddish dark blue, dark red, beige, and yellowish-brown. The Tabriz rugs are the type of City rugs which are curvilinear and geometrically designed. Those types of Persian rugs are very colorful. They are usually made of wool and silk foundation and have pink, camel, peach and ivory border colors and backgrounds. Because of those light colored background and borders, Tabriz rugs’ overall color became pastel. Symmetric and colorful knots are also noticeable in Tabriz rugs with different motifs like green, yellow, blue, lavender, and orange.

The next two types of Persian Rugs, the Kerman Rugs and the Kashan Rugs have mostly curvilinear patterns. The Kerman rugs are well-known for the Kerman images or the pictorial pattern designed in those rugs. Most common designs of those types of Persian rugs are animal and hunting patterns, vases, garden, flowers, prayer, and stripes. They are usually made of different colors like red, red-blue, pink, green, turquoise, orange, beige and champagne. Kashan rugs are made of the same colors as Kerman rugs. They are designed with lobed and diamond-shaped medallions with flower-patterned pendants.

The other types of the Persian rug or the Persian Tribal Rugs on the other hand are: Shiraz Rugs, Baluch Rugs and Wiss Rugs. They are hand-woven by different tribes, the Shiraz, Baluch and Wiss tribes respectively. The Shiraz rugs are usually long and plain-colored. Red is the color mostly used in making those types of Persian rugs. They have geometric motifs of plants and animals designs. Baluch rugs are made by the tribe in southern Iran. They usually incorporate the Persian tradition 2500 years ago to the designs that they used in weaving their rugs. Ivory and navy are the main colors that the Baluch tribe used in their rugs.

Lastly, the Wiss rugs which are made by the people in the Village of Wiss in Iran, have flower-like patterns and garden elements designs. They are usually made of dark red and burgundy colors. All of these make up the Persian rugs which are present until today.

If you want to decorate your house or transform the interior into extraordinary spaces, you may want to incorporate the overall design with a specific motif. You can use the oriental theme to design your house. For this motif, you can use classic rugs, cushions, table covers, oriental runners, and seat or sofa covers to create an extraordinary Oriental edge. You can also put Oriental runners on the steps of your stairs or the hallway as a long carpet in order to complete the motif. If you opt for a more antique feel, you can choose aged Oriental rugs and other similar hand woven products, including the Oriental runners. They are semi-antique and are made by tribes in central Asia. Antique collectors search for these kinds of Oriental runners that are aged to have a unique antique quality. They have the complex design that the other tribes also feature.

Certain tribes in the central Asia create these kinds of rugs and runners. The Baloch tribe, for example, is one manufacturer of the Oriental runner. Most of the people in this tribe inhabit Afghanistan’s mountainous terrain, but some stayed at the southeastern region of Iran. Their location allowed them to preserve their culture. Likewise, they were able to resist domination by other tribes.

Their main livelihood was to create Oriental runners and similar products, such as cushions, saddles, and rugs. The Afghan tribal runner is one good variety of the Oriental runners. It is hand woven and made from vegetable dyed wool. They are usually entail dark colors and designs that carefully represent the identity of the Baloch tribe. Another variety is the Afghan Mushvani runners. They are crafted by the Mushvani tribe, which is a part of the Baloch tribe. This Oriental runner has similarities with the mushvani rugs and is woven using the compound weave method. This method uses two or more sets of elements that are carefully manipulated to craft unique and striking designs.

The Oriental runners are of course native to the tribe. This means that the designs are specific to the culture and traditions of the Balochi people. Because they are not influenced by other tribes, all their designs preserves the history of the tribe, as well as the artistic inclination and emotions of the weaver. Originally, they make oriental runners because it is part of their culture. Thus, the decorations show typical geometric forms as inspired by the patterns of plants and animals. Moreover, they had found several practical uses for the Oriental runners and similar products. This had led them to create unique pieces that clearly depict their own individuality. The result is a very unique and valuable hand woven material.

The Oriental runner can make a great home ornament if you display it in strategic places in your house interior. If you carefully match it with other oriental and hand woven products, you will certainly get the antiquity that you are looking for, not to mention the classiness that never goes out of style.

Oriental rugs have been famous for their uniqueness and stylish finish since the ancient times. However, only those made by tribes past qualify a valuable oriental rug today. One reason for this, aside from the design and rareness, is that they are aged to antiqueness before they are sold. This characteristic is specific to many oriental rugs. Without the age factor, they are just plain rugs for practical purposes according to artifacts collectors. Consequently, because of their profile standards, their value is raised and is now considered worthy icon for collection. Many oriental rugs strongly uphold such characteristics and one of them is the Yamut rug.

All of the Oriental rugs, including the Yamut rugs, feature the characteristics discussed above, but each one of them contains specific characteristics that are unique to their weavers. A rug containing specific characteristics means that the culture of the country is evident on the rugs and other woven products. Furthermore, it means that the rugs and other woven products are very representative of the traditions and life of the tribesmen because they have been part of their daily lives ever since.

The Yamut rugs, for example, are oriental rugs originating from the country called Turkmenistan, which means “land of the Turkmen” in Persian. Turkmenistan is a country located in Central Asia. It is a Trukic country bordered by several other countries such as Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan. On the west part of this country is the Caspian Sea. It has 4 major tribes and one of them, the Yamut tribe, produces this type of rug.

The Yamut rugs contain designs that are significantly Turkish in nature. The patterns show the dyrnak guls and ashik elements in each design. Of course, these elements are not found in any other Oriental rugs. In order to enhance the design, those elements are harmoniously arranged with the goal of achieving balance in mind. Each weaver intends to create such balance by incorporating the elements to the whole Yamut rug. This means that the field, the borers, and the skirts are all considered in order to achieve a certain perfection and balance. These patterns are woven either horizontally or vertically, depending on the weavers’ artistic inclination at the moment of weaving. With these guidelines, the Yamut rugs produce fine details that are very enticing to many other cultures of the world.

Moreover, the Yamut tribe, along with the other major tribes of the country, displays their extraordinary talent in weaving the flag of Turkmenistan and its coat of arms. This fact boosts the Yamut rugs’ worth as valuable Oriental pieces.

If you particularly like the classic oriental features in your ornaments with a significant Turkish feel, the Yamut rugs would be best for you. They are also considered semi-antiques because they are almost a century old. Despite the age, they are still in very good condition and have exceptional quality. Thus, the Yamut rugs present a real treat for antique collectors and designers alike.

Oriental rugs are classic enough to fit any home interior style. But if you opt for a more fabulous design, with intricate and rich details, go for oriental Soumac rugs. This type of rugs is available in particular countries of Asia as they are woven by the ancient tribes. Most of the rugs of this style are already considered antiques because they are almost a century old. Those who love antiques and lively patterns at the same time, they choose the Soumac rugs.

The Soumac rugs are important products of weaving in the past. Weaving, both as art and livelihood, is a very old practice that is unique to specific tribes. Over the centuries, these tribes have already perfected such craft, which consequently incorporated their own culture and traditions to the woven materials that they produce. This is probably the result of producing woven materials to fit a variety of practical uses in their everyday lives. Aside from this, the rugs and other woven products contain very rich details and colors that are enticing. In fact, they have been renowned world wide, starting as status symbol ornaments in royal and wealthy families in the West and other parts of the East in the ancient times. The Soumac rugs are among the favorites of these rug collectors.

One notable thing about weaving is that the tribes have eventually developed different techniques in order to produce fabrics for specific types of uses. One technique, which is used in the Soumac rugs, is the flat weave. This method of brocading is the one of the oldest known techniques in weaving. With this technique, the rug is crafted by interlocking vertical and horizontal threads, which are called warp and weft respectively. Essentially, this method does not involve any knots because the rug uses fibers as its foundation. The result is a very flat rug surface, which is very common to Soumac rugs. However, with the designs integrated into this weave technique, the surface adds a little texture. Other types of weaving techniques are hand knot, plain weave, and twill.

The flat weave technique is also used in other types of oriental rugs, such as the plain weave, kilim, and tapestry weave. Sometimes, the Soumac rugs are mistaken for and sold as Cashmeres by many traders in the ancient past. To distinguish this type of rug from the rest of its variants, the weavers applied character to their products. For the Soumac rugs, the flat weave is more complicated in order to present very artistic designs. Colorful dyed yarns are used in order to form intricate and incredible patterns.

Today, the sellers of Oriental rugs source these hand woven products from different countries. The Soumac rugs, for example, are available in other variations, depending on the country of origin. There is the Yamut Soumac Kilim rug from the Turkmanistan and its sellers claim that they are over 70 years old and are still in good condition. There is also the Kurdish Soumac Bag face sourced from Persia or Iran. This Soumac rug is nearly a century old. Both types are perfect for antique lovers out there.