The Origin And Production Of Oriental Rugs

By Ann Russell


An oriental rug refers to a heavy textile usually made for various symbolic as well as utilitarian purposes. Usually it is produced in oriental countries for local sale, home use, and export for the international market. In terms of geographical area of origin, these products are produced in an area referred to as the rug belt. These region runs from Morocco across North Africa, Central Asia, Northern India, and Middle East.

The culture where these products originated have always treated them as integral parts. The same thing happens in the rest of European cultures and more recently in North American culture. The region referred to as the Rug Belt includes Northern China, Maghreb, India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Tibet, and Caucasus. People from a wide range of racial groups, religious faiths, countries, and cultures make oriental rugs.

Most of these products are produced in Islamic Nations, a fact that has made them to be referred to as Islamic carpets. Oriental rug is a term only used for convenience purposes. The rate at which the use and preference of the products is increasing is very high. Today, they can be found almost in all corners of the world. In the US, they are consumed by wealthy individuals who have unique tastes.

Production is done by hand on a loom using pile, warps, and wefts. The warps, wefts, and piles are usually made of natural fibers such as silk, cotton, and wool. Silver or gold threads are usually woven into representative carpets. Natural or synthetic dyes are usually used to dye the piles and yarns used in the production process. After the main body have been produced, further processing is done to fasten the borders.

Further processing is also carried out to make the surface more even by clipping pile. Dirt is eliminated by washing. The washing process involves adding chemical solutions to modify the color of the product. Quality if often highly dependent on the material used to make the product. Such high quality materials also cost higher just like the products they make.

The cost of Islamic carpets is often very high on all markets worldwide. As a result of high cost, the industry tends to be characterized by fraudulent behavior. Forgers make new mats to appear older by using techniques used to re-weave sections of damaged mats, replace knots, and restore mats. That way, the new mats appear older and fetch higher prices when sold. Older mats hold more value and cost higher. It is often hard to detect the forgeries using radiocarbon dating and chromatographic dye analysis since period materials are used.

Because of the forgeries, one should always exercise caution when buying the mats. The rug should be authentic and worth of the price they are paid for. There are various steps that one can take in order to be able to buy an authentic piece without being corned. Conducting extensive research can help to avoid forged products.

A purchase can be made from a wide number of locations all over the world. Local stores are some among the most reliable places to obtain the products from. Some online traders also stock the carpets but it can be hard to ascertain their authenticity.




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