What is an Oriental Rug?

An authentic Oriental rug is a handmade carpet that is either knotted with pile or woven without a pile. Traditionally, Oriental rugs have been woven in Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, China, the Caucasus (currently Armenia, Azerbaijan, Dagestan) and Turkestan.

Oriental – design rugs made by machine or any other method other than hand-knotting or weaving do not qualify as genuine Oriental rugs. The designs and variations used in Oriental rugs are so numerous that it would be impossible to describe all of them. A common misconception is that “no two Oriental rugs are the same”. Although essentially true, the same design may be used in more than one rug, but since each rug is handmade slight variations in weave and design are inevitable.

No matter how skilled the weaver, it is impossible to exactly duplicate another rug. Every rug will differ slightly.

Oriental rugs are available in surprisingly broad ranges of colour and design to fit any décor and lifestyle. In some countries, such as India, Pakistan and China, carpet weaving has evolved into a mass-produced, commercial activity. This has resulted in rugs of a specific design being woven in a variety of colour combinations and sizes. In other areas, tribal women still spin and dye their own wool.

The dyes are gathered locally from shrubs, roots and trees. These women weave what they feel and what they see around them, and do not work from a pre-made pattern. Whether a rug is made in a large factory, a small workshop, an individual home, or by a nomad, is reflected in the designs and materials used. It is thus often possible to establish where a rug comes from by what designs, materials and colours have been used.