Persian Rug Palace

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Oriental Rugs Defined

Oriental Rugs

1949, Siberia: A team of Russian archaeologists discovered a unique treasure representing the history of hand knotted Oriental Rugs. Today, this art treasure hangs in Leningrad’s Hermitage Museum. The Pazyryk carpet as it is now called symbolizes a craft and tradition of which true age is unknown. Hand knotted with approximately 240 knots per square inch, roughly 6′x6′ in size, this carpet is the oldest known example of a hand knotted Oriental rug.

Some of the largest rugs known to this day, including oversize, Palace rugs and mansion carpets were woven, (and continue to be woven), using the same age-old technique of hand knotting each individual knot the same as how the ancient Pazyryk carpet had been woven.

A hand knotted Oriental rug as defined by rug trade associations encompasses several interpretations, which to this day can be interpreted to include hand tufted carpets.

However, more traditional and conservative refinement of true Oriental rugs and the timeless art of making such, is in the following definition:

Oriental Rugs Defined: A hand knotted, or hand made flat-woven rug, created with natural or synthetic fiber consisting of warps and wefts. Oriental rugs are generally woven in the geographic region(s) of the Near, mid, or far East.

Age: Oriental rugs with the qualifier of antique and semi-antique are accepted as the following: Antique – 100 years of age or older. Semi-antique – 50 to 99 years of age.

When shopping for a true, hand knotted Oriental rug or Persian carpet online, be careful to inquire about the following terms which may imply hand tufted attribution. Hand made, hand fashioned, tufted.

About the Author

Herman Kenin & His Orch. – Persian Rug