Interested in buying a Turkish Rug? Want to know the history of your Turkish Rug? The information below is a useful guide to Turkish rugs
Turkish carpets and rugs are believed to be the first oriental rugs that were exported to Europe from the Port of Istanbul. Turkish rugs and carpets are different from other orients carpets in that they are often laid on tables rather than floors.
Turkish Rug Designs
Turkish rugs are usually classified into two categories: Turkish factory made rugs and hand-knotted Turkish rugs made by Turkish nomadic tribesmen. Turkish rugs and carpets rarely display animals or men unlike Persian rugs because of a stricter interpretation of Islamic law that bans depicting live beings. Turkish rugs usually display intricate geometrical patterns. Turkish rugs are more coarse than Persian rugs although they are easily cleaned and if maintained properly can last a long time. Turkish rugs can vary greatly in price from cheap Turkish kilims to expensive silk made factory rugs. The most famous and expensive types of Turkish rug are the Kum-Kapu and Hereke rugs; however, even cheaper types of Turkish rugs from Oushak, Sparta and Sivas are made from high quality wool which makes Turkish rugs in general last for a long time. Turkish rugs made in the town of Hereke are famous for their labour intensive fine craftsmanship. Hereke Turkish rugs are often made of Silk and hence are very expensive. Turkish rugs were very popular in American and European households up until the Second World War, where it was common to Turkish rugs adorn the libraries and dining rooms of houses.
Turkish Rug Makers
Most of the expensive Turkish rugs were usually sold to Armenians and Greeks living in Turkey. Many of the best Turkish rug makers were traditionally ethnic Greeks and Armenians living in Turkey. However, in 1922 during a wave of Turkish nationalism many ethnic Greeks and Armenians were expelled from Turkey taking with them much of the skills of Turkish rug making. The Turkish rug industry has never since fully recovered and in general the quality of modern day Turkish rugs is not believed to be as good as antique Turkish rugs. Modern Turkish rugs are made using a synthetic dye which makes the colours and contrast a lot bolder than traditional Turkish rugs. Modern Turkish rugs generally have a longer pile than traditional Turkish rugs. Although modern Turkish rugs are still beautiful and of interest to buyers , they fetch much lower prices than tradition Ottoman Turkish rugs.
