The extraordinary history of carpets
Depending on the time and place, they were considered a symbol of the home or luxury and prosperity. The first carpets were supposed to protect against cold and dirt. Family life also took place on them. Over the years, they became primarily an interior decoration. Learn about the extraordinary history of carpets.
The first carpets most likely come from Central Asia and appeared there between the 3rd and 2nd millennium BC. Woven by nomadic people, they were to protect against cold and dirt, be easy to roll up and transport to another place. Family life took place on them - meals were prepared, eaten, prayed and slept. They were made of wool and given colors using dyes obtained from vegetables, fruits, flowers, roots or minerals.
The oldest carpet, called the “Pazyryk carpet” or “Upper Altai carpet,” was found in 1947 in an ice block in Siberia. It most likely dates back to the 3rd century BC. It features designs depicting animals resembling deer and warriors on horses. It can be admired live at the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg.
As time passed and the art of weaving developed, carpets began to gain more and more sophisticated and complicated patterns. Those intended for the homes of wealthy dignitaries were woven by artisans in factories. The weaving of "home" carpets was done by women from a given family. Sometimes the process of creating such a carpet took many months, because various, complicated patterns, scenes from everyday life or important family events were placed on it. It was believed that carpets decorated in this way warded off evil spirits and brought happiness to the household. Beautiful carpets were also a very desirable gift at that time - brides often received them as dowries.
The most famous carpets come from Persia. To this day, hand-woven, intricately decorated Persian carpets are considered the best. During the reign of the Iranian Safavid dynasty, Persian carpets began to appear in Europe at royal courts and in the homes of elites. They arrived there thanks to merchants and as gifts, given by rulers from Central Asia. Richly decorated carpets, depicting various scenes - those from the lives of distant peoples, as well as fairy tales, stirred the imagination of Europeans. They played the role of not only prestigious decorations , but also warmed the floors and walls of castle chambers. In Europe at the end of the 19th century, linen and hemp rugs were popular in ordinary homes, which were supposed to protect against the cold. They were also often made from various textile scraps or clothing that was no longer suitable for use.
Today, carpets are one of the most important interior decorations, adding style and character to them. Soft and pleasant to the touch, they are irreplaceable in the living room and bedroom. With their help, you can separate individual zones in a given room. They come in so many patterns and colors that everyone will find the perfect one for their home.
