Free Oriental Rug Guide
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History
The origin of the handmade rug begins, by one theory, in the nomadic tribes of Central Asia. The theory is that the nomads were unwilling to kill valuable livestock (to make floor coverings from their hides) so they used sheep, goat or camel hair to create textiles with hair like pile that mimicked animal hide. Others argue that artistic expression like that shown in early rugs could only be developed in a prosperous settled environment. How ever the handmade rug came into being, it has flourished since then as a decorative art form and a practical home furnishing.
Early mention of rugs, or an early form of them, is
found in the play "Agamemnon", written around 500 BC, were Clytemnestra spreads out fine carpets for her homecoming husband. Unwilling to walk on them he said:
"Great the extravagance, and great the shame I feel, to spoil such treasures and such a silver's worth of webs"
The earliest physical evidence of the history of rug making is the Pazyryk carpet. The rug was discovered in 1949 in a royal tomb in Siberia. The rug had been frozen in perma frost which allowed it to survive to the present day. The Pazyryk rug is remarkable for it's age and its craftsmanship. It was made in a style of knotting still used today with a delicacy of the design that indicates a craftsman from a long tradition of weavers.
Another remarkable rug of antiquity is the Spring Carpet of Chosroes. According to legend when the Persian King Chosroes I defeated the Romans in the conquest of southern Arabia this rug was woven in commemoration of the event. The rug lasted longer than his success, as the Muslims conquered the Persians shortly thereafter in 641. The rug was described as weighing several tons and measuring 400 feet by 100 feet. Inlaid with precious gems and gold thread, the design was interlaced with paths which it is said the king used to stroll along to admire the scenes.
With the advent of Islam in the 7th century carpet weaving 
had been developing for over two thousand years. Under Islamic rule it would continue to flourish and branch out into ever
evolving styles and artistic expressions. As the lands under Muslim control expanded, the unified Islamic rule fostered an environment of peace and prosperity were the arts and learning could flourish.
Rug Making reached perhaps its highest form during the reign of the Safavid dynasty, in Persia, during the 16th an 17th centuries. One of the most famous of all Persian carpets is the Ardebil dating from this period. The Ardebil was one of a pair which came to England in 1893. The poor condition of the rugs was remedied by using the one rug to repair the other. It now resides in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London as a stunning example of the work of that era.
Function
In the Middle East carpet making was traditionally a home industry where individuals would make rugs for their own use and in their spare time make 
extras to sell at a later date or use as payment for other goods or services. Carpets were readily accepted
for payment of dowries, to buy livestock or to pay off taxes. To this day the Iranian Inland Revenue will accept payment in rugs, since they are easily sold for cash and increase in value over time.
In contrast Chinese handmade rugs were essentially ornamental, for 
those of high stature and wealth who could afford to purchases them
or have them made. Chinese designs differed as well in that they were largely symbolic, influenced by Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian thought. Whereas the Middle Eastern tradition was heavily influenced by Islamic
thought resulting in geometric and arabesque motifs.
Indian rug making was even less functional than Chinese, in that rugs were almost exclusively for the the Mogul rulers and did not penetrate into the daily live of the common people.
East Meets West
With the advent of the Crusades Europeans, through the acquisitions of the crusaders, were introduced to the rugs of the
Middle East. Their fascination with them led to a great demand in wealthy homes as status symbols. The appeal of 
these rugs is testified to in their increasing appearance in European art. So much so that the repeated appearance of a type of Turkish carpet
in the paintings of Hans Holbein the Younger (1497-1543) resulted in the style becoming popularly know as a "Holbein". In European representations the rug was clearly a mark of status and wealth. At that time they were
tremendously expensive and accordingly very rare.
In France the purchase of these rugs was so heavy that the flow of wealth out of France affected the economy. So much so that in 1608 Henry IV took it upon himself to start a carpet factory in his palace at the Louvre to create rugs for the French market, to keep wealth within France's economy. Unfortunately for his plan the resulting rugs, made in the Oriental method but with French motifs, so pleased him that he reserved them for royal use and they never made it to his subjects. His successor Louis XIII started an outside workshop to create these "French Orientals" which came to be known as "Savonneries" (after the old soap factory they were produced in) and were Europe's first original carpet designs. The French designs had some success but the Middle Eastern rugs were still the preferred choice.
The continuing demand spurred entrepreneurs to journey
into the producing lands to commission the making of rugs for the European market. In this commissioning process European designs, with pastel colors and sweeping floral
designs, replaced the bold colors and sharp geometrical designs that were the traditional venue of the Oriental rugs produced in the Middle East. Some Europeans even had their coat of
arms or or national symbols woven in. It was at this point, when demand effected design, that rug weaving had truly become an industry as we know it today.
This large scale production slowed in the eighteenth century to rise again in the 19th with the advent of the Victorian era. But this time the bold colors and designs of the traditional weavers was what was desired to compliment the dark heavy style of Victorian furnishings.
At this time workshops began to be created where weavers worked on a weekly bases to be paid not by the rug, but for time worked. Thus the industry shifted gears from one of a strictly cottage industry to a commercial one.
Entrepreneurs rushed to purchase rugs for The
European market and no attempt was made to catalogue the rugs, where they came from, and by whom they were made. They came to be categorized by similarity of design features or the whatever limited information was
available on the original rug. Thus today place names given to rugs like "Persian" or "Turkish" may actually have no relevance to the rugs actual origin or maker.
Our fascination with handmade Oriental rugs continues to this day with 
many fine rugs available from reputable dealers. The key to
purchasing a good Oriental rug is to be well educated on the subject and know what you are looking for and how much you are willing to spend.
The weaver designs his rug to be a work of art to cherish and you too should choose a rug that appeals to you so that it is more than just an investment but a deep expression of artistic appreciation.
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