The Making of a Rug
The oldest known hand-knotted oriental rug was excavated from the Altai Mountains of Central Asia near Pazryk in 1949. It was found in a semi-frozen Scythin burial mound. This rug dates from the 5th century B.C. and is called "The Pazryk Carpet". Today the rug is in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. The carpet is sophisticated with floral, geometric, and pictorial designs. This legendary piece is excellent testimony to the durability of the weaver's art. Few other rugs are known to have survived more than 500 years. Many of those are displayed in museums around the world. However, it isn't uncommon to find rugs over 100 years old that are still in usable condition, and some that, even today, are being walked on by great-great grandchildren of the original owners. hroughout the Middle East and Central Asia, The art of weaving rugs has been practiced and revered since ancient times. Many cultural historians think these rugs, in addition to having beauty and practicality, also reflected very practical concerns of day to day life. One thought is that hand knotting carpets with a pile began among nomadic peoples as a means of imitating the texture and warmth of animal pelts. Whatever factors may have contributed to its initial development, the art of rug making quickly took on a central role in the aesthetic and historic identity of entire regions.
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