8 Facts About Rugs And Carpets You Should Know

Rugs and carpets are a form of traditional artifacts that is traced back thousands of years. They have been used in a wide variety of ways, ultimately becoming a decorative flooring option. In fact, carpets like hand woven kilim rugs are considered a luxury item because a lot of work is put into the making of these carpets.

Here are some facts about rugs and carpets to know.

1. World’s Largest Handmade Carpet

The world’s largest carpet which was handmade was originated from Iran. It is called Qasr-al-Alam designed by Ali Khaliqi. The size of this carpet is approximately the size of a football pitch. It is exactly 5,625 square feet in size. This carpet was assembled in 9 different pieces before being installed in a mosque in Abu Dhabi.

2. Rugs vs Carpets

Many of you may not know but there is a distinction between rugs and carpets which was based on a theory. According to America, a carpet is the one which has a size of at least 40 square feet. Anything which is smaller than this is classified as a rug.

3. Hand Woven Kilim Rugs

Hand woven kilim rugs are the kind of rugs that are produced in Persian Empires like Iran, Turkey, Azerbaijan. These rugs have a symbolic meaning. They are mainly flat hand woven rugs that are often hung on walls and also used as prayer rugs. These prayer rugs have a design of Makkah niched in them.

4. Most Expensive Rug

The world’s most expensive carpet to be sold is a 17th century Kerman carpet measuring about 8’x6’. In an auction in 2013, it was sold for $33.8 million. This carpet was initially expected to have a bid of around $15 million but to everyone’s surprise, it blew everyone away as this broke the record of the previous record holder of a carpet being sold at $9.6 million.

5. The Red Carpet

The red carpet which is a privilege given to celebrities at a major event like Oscars, have a history. The red carpet was used to indicate the route used by politicians. The very first known use of red carpet was in 458 BC in a play called Agamemnon written by Aeschylus. The red color used in Persian or Turkish carpets like hand woven kilim rugs symbolizes courage and beauty.

6. Camel Hair

Camel hair was used as threads in handmade carpets, using them throughout the weaving process. However, this process has been revoked and these carpets have become scarce due to their nasty smell that is given off in moist and warm environments.

7. The Pazyryk Carpet

The oldest carpet was found in 1949 in mountains of Siberia. The origins of this carpet dates back to 5th century BC. This carpet has its original red dye still visible due to its preservation in ice. This carpet was extracted from a grave of a Siberian prince.

8. Symbolism of Carpets

Every Persian or Turkish carpet are rich in symbolism. The symbols and colors symbolize different factors. Yellow symbolizes royalty, red symbolizes happiness, beauty and courage, green represents renewal. Similarly, every symbol has different meaning as well.