Uzbek Rugs
In Uzbekistan, there’s a saying that goes “The home begins where a carpet is spread.” A rug, in this part of the world, means that a family is prosperous, and that’s why, when young couples get married, a quality rug is often offered as a wedding gift. Carpets are used not just on the floors, but also as wall decorations.
History of Uzbek Rugs
In Uzbekistan, carpet weaving is one of the oldest art forms. Often, an entire village would work on a single carpet, and during winter evenings, everyone would work together – some people removing dirt from the wool, others beating or carding the wool, and still others are spinning, dying or weaving. While this was going on, they’d also be singing, and just generally having a good time.
One of the reasons that carpet weaving was so ubiquitous in Uzbekistan is that wool was plentiful – the people raised sheep and camels and used the hair harvested from the animals for a variety of crafts, including carpet weaving. The tradition continues to this day.
What is the Appearance of Uzbek Rugs?
In the beginning, Uzbek rugs were primitive and simple – not much in the way of design or creativity. As time passed, though, the techniques were refined, more materials were used, and there was more attention to artistic detail. This is something that continues today.
There’s a lot of variation, though – each region has its own special ways of weaving carpets. That might mean a unique pattern, a special method, a higher or lower pile, or other ways of creating carpets that work to distinguish one region from another.
As an example, carpets that are produced in Bukhara are usually reddish brown, with accents of different colors, and will be based on simple geometric shapes. On the other hand, carpets made in Samarkland will usually be blue or yellow (or a combination of the two) and the decorative elements will be more curvaceous.
Good to Know About Uzbek Rugs
If you’re looking to buy an Uzbek rug, you should know that some are handcrafted while others are made in small factories. This doesn’t mean that one is better than the other, but if you want to tell your friends, “This is a handmade Uzbek rug,” it would be wise to know the source.
Uzbek rugs are very affordable and can be an outstanding addition to your home décor. If you have questions or concerns about your Uzbek carpet, NYCleaners can give you the answers you need.
