The Oldest Rug in the World: Pazyryk
Image Credit - Irandoostan
Poetry and music have formed the very essence of the Iranian soul and psyche. These are unquestionably some of the things Iranian culture is famous for - but possibly no element is as widely known and impressive as Persian rugs, particularly the Pazyryk Persian Rug.
Most of us know that Persian rug weaving is an ancient art. Since the High Middle Ages, oriental rugs have been an integral part of different cultures in Iran. Adored for their intricate designs, magnificent colours, and inimitable craftsmanship - Persian rugs have found their way into households and interiors all over the world.
We have a pretty good idea of how valuable these rugs can be. But have you ever wondered if it would be possible to identify the world’s oldest rug? Interestingly, a famous carpet has been identified as the oldest rug in the world. In this article, we take a look at - the Pazyryk rug, the intriguing history behind it, and it’s equally fascinating and intricate patterns.
The Pazyryk rug was discovered in 1949, excavated miraculously by Russian archaeologists in the frozen tomb of a Scythian nobleman in the valleys of the Altai Mountains in Kazakhstan. Thought to have been frozen for over 2500 years, the rug was made sometime in the 5th century BC, and to our knowledge, it is the oldest surviving piled rug still in existence. It is now housed at St. Petersburg’s Hermitage Museum.
The land surrounding Siberia’s Ukok Plateau is vast. The plateau descends into the Pazyryk Valley, which contains ancient kurgans (burial mounds) in the style of the Scythian people who inhabited the area over two thousand years ago. Archaeological digs in the area began in the 1920s; they unearthed a wealth of historically significant items that offered an intriguing insight into the little known ancient nomadic tribes of the Pazyryk.
THE PAZYRYK PERSIAN RUG
Image Credit (left to right) - Pinterest
The story of the Pazyryk begins with the Scythian people who, from the 9th century BC began expanding out from central Asia into western Mongolia, Southern Russia, Europe, and other parts of the Mediterranean and Egypt.
Described as ethnically diverse people connected to the Iranian language group and part of the Mongol race, the Pazyryk people were partly nomadic, partly settled. These Persian-speaking tribes raised large herds of horses, used to pull carriages that moved their settlements, and transported luxury goods for trading.
The Pazyryk Rug captivates our imagination because of its sophisticated weave, colour, and design and the fact that it is the oldest rug in existence. It is particularly striking as it displays a high level of skill and intricacy, a testament to the long history of carpet-weaving in Persia.
Woven in the technique of the symmetrical double knot or the so-called Turkish knot - this marvelous rug is 1.83×2 meters and has 36 symmetrical knots per cm2 (or more than 1,250,000 knots). It has a very intricate and complex design consisting of a skillful combination of geometric, floral, and pictorial patterns.
The symbols within this magnificent carpet speak to the Scythians' deep connection with the metaphysical, celestial, and animal kingdoms. It's decoration is rich and varied: the central field is occupied by 24 cross-shaped figures, each of which consists of four stylised lotus buds symbolising their attunement to the sun.
This composition is framed by a border of griffins, signifying guardians of the salvation, followed by a border of twenty-four fallow deer representing longevity and wisdom.
Image Credit - People Of Far
We wanted to offer you something similar to this ancient rug, so we spent the last week digging through our rug collection to see what we could find. Our featured rug this week is the Pazyryk Persian Tabriz.
Tabriz rugs are from the city of Tabriz, the capital city of East Azarbaijan Province in the north west of Iran. It is one of the oldest weaving areas and makes a diverse collection of hand-knotted rugs. They are made with a good quality, fine, soft wool.
Similar in both design and meaning, this rug will bring the stories of the Pazyryk tribes back to life, invoking a feeling of connection to the natural life and adding a sense of tribal glamour to your home.
WE HAVE A HUGE RANGE OF PERSIAN AND ORIENTAL RUGS THAT WOULD TEAM PERFECTLY WITH YOUR DESIGN. TAKE A LOOK AT OUR COLLECTION HERE!
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