Saturday, July 23, 2016

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.

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.

As a result of the forgeries, it is often important to exercise caution when making a purchase. One should take all the precautions to ensure that they only obtain an authentic rug worth the amount it is paid for. The best way is to carry out extensive research to be able to differentiate between fake and authentic Islamic carpets.

One can buy these products from various sources worldwide. One among the most reliable sources is local stores that deal with related products. There are online sellers who sell the mats, but it is often difficult to confirm authenticity of such products.




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