|
Rugs were probably first made by nomadic peoples to cover the earthen floor in their tents. It is not certain however, if the Egyptians, the Chinese, or even the Mayas first invented rugs making. It is quite possible that many peoples, none of whom were in contact with each other, began to make rugs at about the same time.
We сап be certain however, that by the fifth century BC rugs making had reached a high artistic level. This was proven by the Russian archaeologists Rudenko and Griaznov, who in 1949 discovered the oldest known "knotted" rugs in the Pazyryk valley, about 5000 feet up on the Altai Mountains in Siberia.
The Pazyryk rugs is of rare beauty and woven with great technical skill. It was found preserved in the frozen tombs of Scything chiefs, which were 2400 to 2500 years old.
Through out history Persia has remained the epicenter of the rugs making craft, where it has developed into an art form.
|
