Who would have thought that a country like Iran would be synonymous with rugs? For centuries, Iran also known as Persia is known in the world for making beautiful and good quality rugs. Iranians have perfected the art of weaving Persian rugs by hand from the time it was first introduced to them 529 BC. Hand-woven rugs are known to play a big part in the art and culture of Iran. Today, the stature of authentic Persian area rugs is ever so high. It is still considered as one of the most artistic craft of its class. And with the popularity it has in a wide range of audiences, Persian area rugs are considered a big part of a beautiful home décor.
Persian rugs have a very rich history. The art of weaving is said to be a passed on skill from the Achaemenians to the Persians when Cyrus the Great invaded the region. In 1949, an excavation in Siberia brought about the discovery of Pazyryk carpet. With radiocarbon testing, the age of the said artifact has been established, dating back to the 5th century BC. This revealed that as early as that time, sophisticated techniques were used to produce beautiful woven rugs. Well-known men in history used Persian rugs to decorate their private chambers. Ghazan Khan, a Mongol leader who also ruled Iran, once upon a time, ordered the use of the best Persian rugs for the mosque he built in Tabriz. Even Adolf Hitler is believed to have used a reproduced ‘Ardavil’ rug in his Berlin, Germany office. The ‘Ardavil’ is a carpet known to be the oldest Persian rug that survived during the Islamic Period.
The techniques for making Persian rugs continued to change over the years. Before, a Persian rug us made by hand using single loop knots called the Persian knots. Currently, most hand-woven rugs from Iran already used double loop knots that are similar to the Anatolian technique. This makes the rug more durable. The wool or cotton fibers that were used to make Persian rugs used to be colored using organic dyes. This provides the vibrant colors that make up the art we see from antique Persian rugs. But since the invention of commercial, artificial dyes, organic dyes were not used as often as before. Artificial dyes are more convenient to use and are also more accessible for Iranian weavers. The use of machines in rug production has also been popularized, making Persian area rugs cheaper and more widely used.
Today, most people use Persian area rugs as an accent to their rooms. Persian area rugs give life and color to a plain and dull room. The techniques of creating these wonderful rugs have evolved throughout the years but the beauty of Persian rugs is still the same. So get your own Persian area rug now and take part in its wonderful history. runner rugs