September 2005

Welcome to the world of Oriental Rugs and Kilims.

Many people think of Persian rugs when the term Oriental rug is mentioned, but this title applies to a wide variety of hand-knotted pile and flat hand-woven textiles produced in a vast area stretching from North Africa to China and Tibet. Included in this area are Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Turkey (Anatolia), Iran (Persia), Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and three historically significant weaving areas that were part of the former Soviet Union: the Caucasus, Turkestan, and east-central Asia. Beautiful carpets were also made in Spain, and an important modern industry has developed in Romania. A genuine oriental rug is knotted by hand. Some machine-made rugs are of excellent quality, but these are required, by law, to be designated and advertised as Oriental Design. Be aware that the term,"Hand Tufted", does not mean hand knotted and it is not considered a hand made rug.

In the coming months I will discuss how to care for your rugs and ideas on how to purchase a rug. I will also discuss a different type of rug or kilim each month, talking about design elements and colors and the part they play in determining the origin of a rug.

Enjoy your handmade oriental rug and remember, it is a durable and usable piece of art.