The Origin And Production Of Oriental Rugs

By Ann Russell


Oriental rug is a heavy textile that people produce for various utilitarian and symbolic purposes. Its production is predominant in Islamic countries where it is meant for home use, sale on local markets and for export. The Rug Belt is the main region of production. This region stretches across Central Asia, Middle East, Northern India, and North Africa.

The products have always been an integral part of the cultures they originated from as well as various cultures in Europe with adoption occurring later in North America. The Rug Belt includes regions such as northern China, Iran, Turkey, Maghreb, India, Pakistan, Caucasus, and Tibet. Production of oriental rugs is done by people from different racial groups, cultures, religious faiths, and countries.

Given that production of the products mostly occurs in the Islamic world, they are also referred to as Islamic carpets. That makes the term oriental rug to be used only for convenience. The production is spreading fast as other cultures continue to adopt and assume extensive use of the product. For instance, in North America, the product is mostly used by rich people and those who a great taste for similar products.

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.

Caution needs to be exercised when acquiring these products because of forgeries that are now prevalent in the industry. One should ascertain value and worth of the commodity to match that of the price paid. Authenticity may be confirmed by taking certain steps that differentiate fakes from authentic ones. Research is one of the ways of knowing fake and authentic 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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