RUGS COLORED PLATES PAGE Tekke Bokhara rug Frontispiece Meshed prayer rug [22] Khorasan carpet [32] Saruk rug [40] Shiraz rug [52] Anatolian mat [60] Ghiordes prayer rug [66] Ladik prayer rug [74] Daghestan rug [84] Kazak rug [94] Kazak rug [144] Shirvan rug [158] Saruk rug [166] Kulah hearth rug [216] Shirvan rug [250] Beshir Bokhara prayer rug [274] Daghestan prayer rug [292] Chinese rug [300] Chinese rug [306] Chinese cushion rug [318] DOUBLETONES The Metropolitan animal rug [26] Bergama prayer rug [46] Symbolic Persian silk (Tabriz) rug [48] Symbolic Persian silk rug [98] Semi-Persian rug (European designs) [100] Shiraz prayer rug [104] Hamadan rug [110] Feraghan rug [114] Kermanshah rug (modern) [118] Khiva prayer rug [120] Kir Shehr prayer rug [130] Konieh prayer rug [138] Tekke Bokhara strip [150] Tekke Bokhara saddle half [162] Herez carpet [172] Gorevan carpet [176] Serapi carpet [178] Kashan silk rug [180] Tabriz rug [182] Bijar rug [186] Senna rug [188] Feraghan rug [190] Hamadan rug [192] Ispahan rug [194] Saraband rug [198] Mahal carpet [202] Niris rug [204] Shiraz rug [206] Shiraz rug [208] Kirman prayer rug [210] Kirman rug [212] Kurdistan rug (Mina Khani design) [214] Kir Shehr prayer rug [220] Kir Shehr hearth rug [222] Konieh prayer rug [224] Maden (Mujur) prayer rug [226] Ladik prayer rug [228] Yuruk rug [230] Ak Hissar prayer rug [232] Bergama rug [236] Ghiordes prayer rug [238] Kulah prayer rug [240] Meles rug [242] Meles rug [244] Makri rug [246] Mosul rug [248] Daghestan rug [254] Daghestan prayer rug [256] Kabistan rug [258] Tchetchen or Chichi rug [260] Baku rug [262] Shemakha, Sumak or Cashmere rug [264] Shirvan rug [266] Genghis rug [268] Karabagh rug [270] Kazak rug (Palace design) [272] Khiva Bokhara rug [278] Beshir Bokhara rug [280] Tekke Bokhara rug [282] Tekke Bokhara (Princess Bokhara, Khatchlie) prayer rug [284] Yomud rug [286] Samarkand rug [290] Beluchistan rug [296] Senna Ghileem rug [312] Kurdish Ghileem rug [314] Merve Ghileem rug [316] Kurdish Ghileem rug [316] Saddle cloth, saddle bags and powder bag [324] Kirman saddle bags [326] Bijar sample corner [328] Ardebil Mosque carpet [330] Berlin Dragon and Phœnix rug [332] East Indian hunting rug [334] The Altman prayer rug [336] The Baker hunting rug [338] RUG MAKING, ETC. A Persian rug merchant [38] Expert weaver and inspector [38] Spinning the wool [72] Persian dye pots [80] A Persian village [80] A Turkish loom [88] The Senna and Ghiordes knots [90] Youthful weavers [90] A Persian loom [92] A wooden comb [92] A Kurdish guard [124] The Emir of Bokhara and his ministers [134] Turkomans at home [134] Characteristic backs of rugs [152] Inspecting rugs at Ispahan [170] Persian villages near Hamadan [170] Turkomans [276] Having a pot of tea at Bokhara [288] A street in Samarkand [288] The rug caravan [376] DESIGNS Angular hook [101] Barber-pole stripe [102] Bat [103] Beetle [103] Butterfly border design [104] Caucasian border design [105] Chichi border design [105] Chinese fret [106] Chinese cloud band [106] Comb [108] Crab border design [108] Greek cross [109] Fish bone border design [112] Galley border design [112] Georgian border design [112] Ghiordes border design [113] Herati border design [114] Herati field design [114] Knot of destiny [116] Kulah border design [116] Lamp [117] Lattice field [117] Link [118] Lotus [118] Lotus border design [119] Greek meander [119] Pole medallion [120] Mir or Saraband border design [120] Octagon [122] Palace or sunburst [122] Pear [123] Pear border design [124] Reciprocal saw-teeth [126] Reciprocal trefoil [126] Lily or Rhodian field design [126] Lily or Rhodian border design [126] Ribbon border design [127] Rooster [127] Rosette [128] S forms [129] Scorpion border design [129] Shirvan border design [130] Shou [131] Solomon's seal [131] Star [133] Swastika [134] T forms [134] Tae-kieh [135] Tarantula [135] Tekke border designs [135] Tekke field designs [135] Tomoye [136] Tortoise border designs [136] Tree designs [137] Wine-glass border designs [138] Winged disc [139] Y forms [139] Various forms of prayer-niche in rugs [322] NAMELESS DESIGNS Persian border designs [140] Turkish border designs [141] Caucasian border designs [142] Turkoman border designs [143] Chinese border designs [143] Chinese field design [143] Kurdish field designs [143] Caucasian field design [143] Turkish field designs [143] Persian field designs [143] CHART Showing the distinguishing features of the different rugs [156] MAP The Orient At end of volume
RUGS COLORED PLATES PAGE Tekke Bokhara rug Frontispiece Meshed prayer rug [22] Khorasan carpet [32] Saruk rug [40] Shiraz rug [52] Anatolian mat [60] Ghiordes prayer rug [66] Ladik prayer rug [74] Daghestan rug [84] Kazak rug [94] Kazak rug [144] Shirvan rug [158] Saruk rug [166] Kulah hearth rug [216] Shirvan rug [250] Beshir Bokhara prayer rug [274] Daghestan prayer rug [292] Chinese rug [300] Chinese rug [306] Chinese cushion rug [318] DOUBLETONES The Metropolitan animal rug [26] Bergama prayer rug [46] Symbolic Persian silk (Tabriz) rug [48] Symbolic Persian silk rug [98] Semi-Persian rug (European designs) [100] Shiraz prayer rug [104] Hamadan rug [110] Feraghan rug [114] Kermanshah rug (modern) [118] Khiva prayer rug [120] Kir Shehr prayer rug [130] Konieh prayer rug [138] Tekke Bokhara strip [150] Tekke Bokhara saddle half [162] Herez carpet [172] Gorevan carpet [176] Serapi carpet [178] Kashan silk rug [180] Tabriz rug [182] Bijar rug [186] Senna rug [188] Feraghan rug [190] Hamadan rug [192] Ispahan rug [194] Saraband rug [198] Mahal carpet [202] Niris rug [204] Shiraz rug [206] Shiraz rug [208] Kirman prayer rug [210] Kirman rug [212] Kurdistan rug (Mina Khani design) [214] Kir Shehr prayer rug [220] Kir Shehr hearth rug [222] Konieh prayer rug [224] Maden (Mujur) prayer rug [226] Ladik prayer rug [228] Yuruk rug [230] Ak Hissar prayer rug [232] Bergama rug [236] Ghiordes prayer rug [238] Kulah prayer rug [240] Meles rug [242] Meles rug [244] Makri rug [246] Mosul rug [248] Daghestan rug [254] Daghestan prayer rug [256] Kabistan rug [258] Tchetchen or Chichi rug [260] Baku rug [262] Shemakha, Sumak or Cashmere rug [264] Shirvan rug [266] Genghis rug [268] Karabagh rug [270] Kazak rug (Palace design) [272] Khiva Bokhara rug [278] Beshir Bokhara rug [280] Tekke Bokhara rug [282] Tekke Bokhara (Princess Bokhara, Khatchlie) prayer rug [284] Yomud rug [286] Samarkand rug [290] Beluchistan rug [296] Senna Ghileem rug [312] Kurdish Ghileem rug [314] Merve Ghileem rug [316] Kurdish Ghileem rug [316] Saddle cloth, saddle bags and powder bag [324] Kirman saddle bags [326] Bijar sample corner [328] Ardebil Mosque carpet [330] Berlin Dragon and Phœnix rug [332] East Indian hunting rug [334] The Altman prayer rug [336] The Baker hunting rug [338] RUG MAKING, ETC. A Persian rug merchant [38] Expert weaver and inspector [38] Spinning the wool [72] Persian dye pots [80] A Persian village [80] A Turkish loom [88] The Senna and Ghiordes knots [90] Youthful weavers [90] A Persian loom [92] A wooden comb [92] A Kurdish guard [124] The Emir of Bokhara and his ministers [134] Turkomans at home [134] Characteristic backs of rugs [152] Inspecting rugs at Ispahan [170] Persian villages near Hamadan [170] Turkomans [276] Having a pot of tea at Bokhara [288] A street in Samarkand [288] The rug caravan [376] DESIGNS Angular hook [101] Barber-pole stripe [102] Bat [103] Beetle [103] Butterfly border design [104] Caucasian border design [105] Chichi border design [105] Chinese fret [106] Chinese cloud band [106] Comb [108] Crab border design [108] Greek cross [109] Fish bone border design [112] Galley border design [112] Georgian border design [112] Ghiordes border design [113] Herati border design [114] Herati field design [114] Knot of destiny [116] Kulah border design [116] Lamp [117] Lattice field [117] Link [118] Lotus [118] Lotus border design [119] Greek meander [119] Pole medallion [120] Mir or Saraband border design [120] Octagon [122] Palace or sunburst [122] Pear [123] Pear border design [124] Reciprocal saw-teeth [126] Reciprocal trefoil [126] Lily or Rhodian field design [126] Lily or Rhodian border design [126] Ribbon border design [127] Rooster [127] Rosette [128] S forms [129] Scorpion border design [129] Shirvan border design [130] Shou [131] Solomon's seal [131] Star [133] Swastika [134] T forms [134] Tae-kieh [135] Tarantula [135] Tekke border designs [135] Tekke field designs [135] Tomoye [136] Tortoise border designs [136] Tree designs [137] Wine-glass border designs [138] Winged disc [139] Y forms [139] Various forms of prayer-niche in rugs [322] NAMELESS DESIGNS Persian border designs [140] Turkish border designs [141] Caucasian border designs [142] Turkoman border designs [143] Chinese border designs [143] Chinese field design [143] Kurdish field designs [143] Caucasian field design [143] Turkish field designs [143] Persian field designs [143] CHART Showing the distinguishing features of the different rugs [156] MAP The Orient At end of volume
| RUGS | |||
| COLORED PLATES | |||
| PAGE | |||
| Tekke Bokhara rug | Frontispiece | ||
| Meshed prayer rug | [22] | ||
| Khorasan carpet | [32] | ||
| Saruk rug | [40] | ||
| Shiraz rug | [52] | ||
| Anatolian mat | [60] | ||
| Ghiordes prayer rug | [66] | ||
| Ladik prayer rug | [74] | ||
| Daghestan rug | [84] | ||
| Kazak rug | [94] | ||
| Kazak rug | [144] | ||
| Shirvan rug | [158] | ||
| Saruk rug | [166] | ||
| Kulah hearth rug | [216] | ||
| Shirvan rug | [250] | ||
| Beshir Bokhara prayer rug | [274] | ||
| Daghestan prayer rug | [292] | ||
| Chinese rug | [300] | ||
| Chinese rug | [306] | ||
| Chinese cushion rug | [318] | ||
| DOUBLETONES | |||
| The Metropolitan animal rug | [26] | ||
| Bergama prayer rug | [46] | ||
| Symbolic Persian silk (Tabriz) rug | [48] | ||
| Symbolic Persian silk rug | [98] | ||
| Semi-Persian rug (European designs) | [100] | ||
| Shiraz prayer rug | [104] | ||
| Hamadan rug | [110] | ||
| Feraghan rug | [114] | ||
| Kermanshah rug (modern) | [118] | ||
| Khiva prayer rug | [120] | ||
| Kir Shehr prayer rug | [130] | ||
| Konieh prayer rug | [138] | ||
| Tekke Bokhara strip | [150] | ||
| Tekke Bokhara saddle half | [162] | ||
| Herez carpet | [172] | ||
| Gorevan carpet | [176] | ||
| Serapi carpet | [178] | ||
| Kashan silk rug | [180] | ||
| Tabriz rug | [182] | ||
| Bijar rug | [186] | ||
| Senna rug | [188] | ||
| Feraghan rug | [190] | ||
| Hamadan rug | [192] | ||
| Ispahan rug | [194] | ||
| Saraband rug | [198] | ||
| Mahal carpet | [202] | ||
| Niris rug | [204] | ||
| Shiraz rug | [206] | ||
| Shiraz rug | [208] | ||
| Kirman prayer rug | [210] | ||
| Kirman rug | [212] | ||
| Kurdistan rug (Mina Khani design) | [214] | ||
| Kir Shehr prayer rug | [220] | ||
| Kir Shehr hearth rug | [222] | ||
| Konieh prayer rug | [224] | ||
| Maden (Mujur) prayer rug | [226] | ||
| Ladik prayer rug | [228] | ||
| Yuruk rug | [230] | ||
| Ak Hissar prayer rug | [232] | ||
| Bergama rug | [236] | ||
| Ghiordes prayer rug | [238] | ||
| Kulah prayer rug | [240] | ||
| Meles rug | [242] | ||
| Meles rug | [244] | ||
| Makri rug | [246] | ||
| Mosul rug | [248] | ||
| Daghestan rug | [254] | ||
| Daghestan prayer rug | [256] | ||
| Kabistan rug | [258] | ||
| Tchetchen or Chichi rug | [260] | ||
| Baku rug | [262] | ||
| Shemakha, Sumak or Cashmere rug | [264] | ||
| Shirvan rug | [266] | ||
| Genghis rug | [268] | ||
| Karabagh rug | [270] | ||
| Kazak rug (Palace design) | [272] | ||
| Khiva Bokhara rug | [278] | ||
| Beshir Bokhara rug | [280] | ||
| Tekke Bokhara rug | [282] | ||
| Tekke Bokhara (Princess Bokhara, Khatchlie) prayer rug | [284] | ||
| Yomud rug | [286] | ||
| Samarkand rug | [290] | ||
| Beluchistan rug | [296] | ||
| Senna Ghileem rug | [312] | ||
| Kurdish Ghileem rug | [314] | ||
| Merve Ghileem rug | [316] | ||
| Kurdish Ghileem rug | [316] | ||
| Saddle cloth, saddle bags and powder bag | [324] | ||
| Kirman saddle bags | [326] | ||
| Bijar sample corner | [328] | ||
| Ardebil Mosque carpet | [330] | ||
| Berlin Dragon and Phœnix rug | [332] | ||
| East Indian hunting rug | [334] | ||
| The Altman prayer rug | [336] | ||
| The Baker hunting rug | [338] | ||
| RUG MAKING, ETC. | |||
| A Persian rug merchant | [38] | ||
| Expert weaver and inspector | [38] | ||
| Spinning the wool | [72] | ||
| Persian dye pots | [80] | ||
| A Persian village | [80] | ||
| A Turkish loom | [88] | ||
| The Senna and Ghiordes knots | [90] | ||
| Youthful weavers | [90] | ||
| A Persian loom | [92] | ||
| A wooden comb | [92] | ||
| A Kurdish guard | [124] | ||
| The Emir of Bokhara and his ministers | [134] | ||
| Turkomans at home | [134] | ||
| Characteristic backs of rugs | [152] | ||
| Inspecting rugs at Ispahan | [170] | ||
| Persian villages near Hamadan | [170] | ||
| Turkomans | [276] | ||
| Having a pot of tea at Bokhara | [288] | ||
| A street in Samarkand | [288] | ||
| The rug caravan | [376] | ||
| DESIGNS | |||
| Angular hook | [101] | ||
| Barber-pole stripe | [102] | ||
| Bat | [103] | ||
| Beetle | [103] | ||
| Butterfly border design | [104] | ||
| Caucasian border design | [105] | ||
| Chichi border design | [105] | ||
| Chinese fret | [106] | ||
| Chinese cloud band | [106] | ||
| Comb | [108] | ||
| Crab border design | [108] | ||
| Greek cross | [109] | ||
| Fish bone border design | [112] | ||
| Galley border design | [112] | ||
| Georgian border design | [112] | ||
| Ghiordes border design | [113] | ||
| Herati border design | [114] | ||
| Herati field design | [114] | ||
| Knot of destiny | [116] | ||
| Kulah border design | [116] | ||
| Lamp | [117] | ||
| Lattice field | [117] | ||
| Link | [118] | ||
| Lotus | [118] | ||
| Lotus border design | [119] | ||
| Greek meander | [119] | ||
| Pole medallion | [120] | ||
| Mir or Saraband border design | [120] | ||
| Octagon | [122] | ||
| Palace or sunburst | [122] | ||
| Pear | [123] | ||
| Pear border design | [124] | ||
| Reciprocal saw-teeth | [126] | ||
| Reciprocal trefoil | [126] | ||
| Lily or Rhodian field design | [126] | ||
| Lily or Rhodian border design | [126] | ||
| Ribbon border design | [127] | ||
| Rooster | [127] | ||
| Rosette | [128] | ||
| S forms | [129] | ||
| Scorpion border design | [129] | ||
| Shirvan border design | [130] | ||
| Shou | [131] | ||
| Solomon's seal | [131] | ||
| Star | [133] | ||
| Swastika | [134] | ||
| T forms | [134] | ||
| Tae-kieh | [135] | ||
| Tarantula | [135] | ||
| Tekke border designs | [135] | ||
| Tekke field designs | [135] | ||
| Tomoye | [136] | ||
| Tortoise border designs | [136] | ||
| Tree designs | [137] | ||
| Wine-glass border designs | [138] | ||
| Winged disc | [139] | ||
| Y forms | [139] | ||
| Various forms of prayer-niche in rugs | [322] | ||
| NAMELESS DESIGNS | |||
| Persian border designs | [140] | ||
| Turkish border designs | [141] | ||
| Caucasian border designs | [142] | ||
| Turkoman border designs | [143] | ||
| Chinese border designs | [143] | ||
| Chinese field design | [143] | ||
| Kurdish field designs | [143] | ||
| Caucasian field design | [143] | ||
| Turkish field designs | [143] | ||
| Persian field designs | [143] | ||
| CHART | |||
| Showing the distinguishing features of the different rugs | [156] | ||
| MAP | |||
| The Orient | At end of volume | ||
INTRODUCTION
Just when the art of weaving originated is an uncertainty, but there seems to be a consensus of opinion among archæologists in general that it was in existence earlier than the 24th century before Christ. The first people which we have been able with certainty to associate with this art were the ancient Egyptians. Monuments of ancient Egypt and of Mesopotamia bear witness that the products of the hand loom date a considerable time prior to 2400 B.C., and on the tombs of Beni-Hassan are depicted women weaving rugs on looms very much like those of the Orient at the present time. From ancient literature we learn that the palaces of the Pharaohs were ornamented with rugs; that the tomb of Cyrus, founder of the ancient Persian monarchy, was covered with a Babylonian carpet and that Cleopatra was carried into the presence of Cæsar wrapped in a rug of the finest texture. Ovid vividly described the weaver's loom. In Homer's Iliad we find these words: "Thus as he spoke he led them in and placed on couches spread with purple carpets o'er." The woman in the Proverbs of Solomon said, "I have woven my bed with cords, I have covered it with painted tapestry from Egypt." Job said: "My days are swifter than the weaver's shuttle and are spent without hope." Other places in the Bible where reference is made to the art of weaving are, Ex. 33, 35, Sam. 17, 7, and Isa. 38, 12. Besides Biblical writers, Plautus, Scipio, Horace, Pliny and Josephus all speak of rugs.
The Egyptian carpets were not made of the same material and weave as are the so-called Oriental rugs of to-day. The pile surface was not made by tying small tufts of wool upon the warp thread. The Chinese seem to have been the first to have made rugs in this way. Persia acquired the art from Babylon many centuries before Christ, since which time she has held the foremost place as a rug weaving nation.
There is no more fascinating study than that of Oriental rugs and there are few hobbies that claim so absorbing a devotion. To the connoisseur it proves a veritable enchantment: to the busy man a mental salvation. He reads from his rugs the life history of both a bygone and a living people. A fine rug ranks second to no other creation as a work of art and although many of them are made by semi-barbaric people, they possess rare artistic beauty of design and execution to which the master hand of Time puts the finishing touches. Each masterpiece has its individuality, no two being alike, although each may be true in general to the family patterns, and therein consists their enchantment. The longer you study them the more they fascinate. Is it strange then that this wonderful reproduction of colors appeals to connoisseurs and art lovers of every country?