Facts About Persian Rugs
Persian rugs are one of the most sought after forms of Oriental rugs today. Their quality and design are exquisitely detailed and the workmanship involved in the creation of one is unsurpassed by modern rug making techniques. But where did they originally come from?
History of the Persian Rug Art Form
The Persian rug's creation is based from the country of Iran and it is believed to be at least 3500 years old. Trade for the same did not truly begin until the mid sixteenth century and a lot of its beauty originates in its reflection of Persian culture at the time. Persian rugs were found in all homes during this time period and were used as a functional part of these people's lives at the time.
They consist of a detailed, knotted weaving pattern and are very high quality thus creating the overwhelming desire of people even today to possess one. They are popular to the people within the Persian culture as well as to those external of the culture all over the world.
One of the most interesting things about the Persian rug is that no two are exactly the same. They were completed one at a time as opposed to mass marketing of commercial rugs in today's factories. This is why each rug has its own individuality in style and pattern. Also, the techniques used in creating such a rug are specific to a particular region. This also leads to an increased demand for these rugs, as certain regions are more desirable in their final product than others. But all Persian rugs will represent the changes in any particular region’s culture as the designs are studied throughout time. This also adds to the intrinsic value and thus the demand for rugs from a particular region. Some time periods seem to have produced Persian rugs that are of a higher value than others.
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Oldest Existing Rug of Persian Design
The most famous example of an ancient Persian rug is found in the “Pazyryk Carpet” found in a valley of this region by Russian excavators buried in ice. This particular rug is the oldest ever found still intact with only bits of deterioration evident and it is believed to have been created around five B.C. It was discovered in a site of burial of a very wealthy individual who perhaps was even a ruler at this time. Often, the burying of such a rug was basic to the cultural beliefs of the time and was a sign of importance to the deceased. The discovery of this carpet was revolutionary as it disposed of the previous ideas that Persian rug making was a much newer art form and gave the world an insight into the skills and abilities of a much older civilization.
So Persian rugs not only have a definite place in the world today but have also marked their position in historically ancient civilizations. The skills and techniques used to create these beautiful works of art have been around and used for centuries, thus allowing the modern world to see again not only the evolution of the culture surrounding it, but also the evolution of the Persian rug making techniques as well. These are truly valuable pieces of art as well as a window to the Ancient Persian History.
