May 12 2006
The Wide Array of Styles for Oriental Rugs & Carpets
The world of Oriental rugs is much larger than most assume. If you consider that people have been weaving rugs as far back as the ancient Egyptians, then you can start to comprehend how diverse the styles have evolved over the last three thousand or so years. Also, note that evidence of ancient rug weaving has been found on every major continent.
Although, this array of styles has many similarities lets take a look at a few things that make them unique from each other. If we simply examine the wide variety of styles that have been created from two of the major rug producing regions, Persian and India, then I am sure you will get a feel of the diversity.
The commonly accepted center of the rug universe is Persia, or moder-day Iran. Their styles represent the best features of almost every possible characteristic. From excellent construction to intricately beautiful designs. Dozens of styles have been born in this region. A few of the most notable are: Tabriz, Kerman, Sultanabad, Kashan, Kurdish, Lori, Bidjar, Balouch, Esfahan, Gabbeh, Hamedan, Bakshaish, Khorassan, Shahsavan, Afshar, Mahal, Senneh, Quashki, Farahan and Malayer to name a few.
Antique hand-made rugs from India are most notably known for their vibrant colors. The Indians produced some of the best natural color dyes from the wide selection of flora that was available to them. Many rug styles from India can also be recognized by the frequent use of animals and outdoor scenes. Some of the styles that emerged from here are called: Agra, Ottoman Embroydery, Millefleurs, Mugal, Indian Shall and Amritsar.
As we can see, the rug styles that Persia has produced alone can fill a book. From symmetrical designs to abstract, vivid to subdued, geometric to floral, pictoral to decorative these rugs are truly an art form produced by skilled artisans. Some of the many styles I have seen are: Alcatraz, Alpheora, Amritsar, Art Nouveau, Aubusson, Axminster, Azerbaijan, Bakhtiari, Bakshaish, Balouch, Bergama, Bessarabian, Bezalel, Bibkabad, Bidjar, Cairene, Central Asia, Chenile, Chinese, Dagestan, Deco, Donegal, Early Turkish, English, Esfahan, Farahan, Gabbeh, Ganjeh, Giordes, Greek Embroidery, Hamedan, Hereke, Heriz, Hooked, Indian, Indian Shall, Indian Textile, Ingrain, Irish, Karabagh, Kashan, Kazak, Kerman, Khorassan, Khotan, Kilim, Kirshkir, Konya, Kuba, Kurdish, Lori, Mahal, Malayer, Milas, Millefleurs, Mongolian, Mood, Moroccan, Mugal, Navajo, Needlepoint, New Egyptian, Ningsia, North West, Ottoman Embroidery, Oushak, Peking, Polonaise, Quashki, Sarouk, Savonnerie, Senneh, Serapi, Shahestan, Shahsavan, Shirvan, Sivas, Spanish, Sultanabad, Sultanabad New, Tabriz, Tabriz New, Tapestry, Tehran, Tibetan, Turkish, Ukranian, Uzbek, Wilton, Yarkand, Yastic, Yazd, Yuruk and Zakatya.
