he term 'oriental rug' can be a source of some confusion to those unfamiliar with the subject. It literally means a rug manufactured in the Orient, and could legitimately be applied to any rug of oriental origin, regardless of its appearance or how it was made. In practice, however, the term is normally used only to describe hand - made rugs produced by traditional methods in the ancient weaving regions of Anatolia (Turkey), Persia (Iran), Afghanistan, the Caucasus, Baluchistan, Turkestan, China, India, Pakistan, the Balkans and parts of North Africa.

This vast geographical area - stretching from China to the Balkans and from India to the northern tip of the Caspian Sea - is inhabited by peoples of infinitely diverse cultural, religious and ethnic origins, whose only common feature (apart from occupying territories along the old silk route to the East) seems to be their desire and ability to elevate rug - making from a functional craft to an expressive and deeply satisfying form of art.

It can be difficult for Westerners to appreciate the importance of weaving in the East. Among many nomadic and tribal peoples it was often the only medium of creative release, and even in the more sophisticated cultures of Persia, China and Ottoman Turkey, weaving has always ranked alongside painting, architecture, sculpture and ceramics as a valid and celebrated visual art. A masterweaver in Anatolia was held in the same esteem as we hold Rembrandt or Vermeer, and even today there are some textile artists whose reputation and status are equivalent to those of any contemporary artist in the West.

Much of this veneration is due to the fact that rugs, in addition to their aesthetic value, have long been an integral part of the religious experience of the Islamic world.

Hereke rug (left) and a detail. Pure silk. Anatolia.

Every good Muslim has his own special prayer rug, and Islamic religious symbolism is at the root of many of the most universal rug designs. It is for this reason that many experts prefer the expression 'Islamic textile art' when describing oriental rugs, despite the fact that many of the items covered by this description will certainly have been woven by non-Muslims and posses no trace of Islamic symbolism in their compositions. Nor does this expression take into account the elements of Buddhist, Taoist, Hindu and even Christian imagery found at the heart of many rug designs.

In summary, we can say that an oriental rug, in order to be truly authentic within the generally accepted meaning of the terms, must be either hand-knotted or hand-woven, originate from one of the traditional weaving regions and also follow certain ancestral patterns of composition and design.

The terms 'rug' and 'carpet' are normally used to denote size - Some specific types of rug designs have also been traditionally referred to either as carpets or rugs, totally independent of size. Prayer rugs, for example, are never referred to as carpets, and anything employing a hunting design would tend to be called a hunting carpet rather than a hunting rug. Similarly, experts will talk about Persian carpets and Anatolian (Turkish) rugs, regardless of the fact both countries produce items in all sizes, shapes and designs.

Details from a Dobag rug. Anatolia.

Oriental rugs can be classified according to a number of criteria - design, colours, materials, price, etc.- but arguably the most useful, and certainly the most widely employed, methods of classification are by country of origin, weaving group and general weaving category.

It is impossible to say with any degree of certainly exactly when,where or by whom the first pile rugs were made. The materials of rug making are considerably more perishable than those of other types of artefact and consequently very few examples have survived from before the 15th and 16th centuries. The earliest substantial collection of pile fabrics in existence, which dates from between the 5th and 10th
Centuries AD, was excavated from the burial grounds of Akhmim and Faiyum in Egypt, and other specimens from the same period have been found throughout Turkey, Central Asia and other parts of the Orient. However, there is a considerable amount of literary and pictorial evidence pointing to the existence of a flourishing tapestry and pile-weaving tradition, stretching from Anatolia through into Central Asia, which is at least 3,000, and possibly 5,000 years old.

Any lingering doubts as to the existence of rugs in antiquity were dispelled by a remarkable discovery made by the Russian archaeologist S.J. Rudenko during his excavation of a Turkmen tomb in the Altai mountain range of southern Siberia (1947-49). Among the numerous artifacts uncovered was a miraculously preserved carpet dating from the 5th century BC, which survived because it was frozen in a block of ice after early grave robbers had broken the seal and allowed water into the tomb.

The Pazirik (or Altai) carpet, as it is known, is of crucial importance, not only does it confirm the existence of highly sophisticated hand-knotted rugs during the first millennium BC, it also strengthens the belief that rug-making was widespread throughout the Middle East and Central Asia, because the design is an almost exact replica of one found on a paving slab in the Assyrian royal palace at Nineveh, nearly three thousand miles away.

Apart from the Pazirik carpet (in the Hermitage, Leningrad), probably the most important, and certainly the best-known specimen in existence is the Ardebil carpet, which is now housed in London's Victoria and Albert Museum. This masterpiece of oriental textile art, which measures 10.52 x 5.33 m and contains approximately 33 million hand-tied knots at a ratio of 340 knots per in², was purchased in about 1880 from a mosque in the north-east Persian town of Ardebil.

How to choose a rug?

The most important factor when choosing an oriental rug is the reason 'why' the rug is being bought. This may seem self-evident, but it is not unknown for people to purchase extremely attractive and reasonably priced items only to find, when they take them home, that they are the wrong size, or that the colour and design clash with their decorative scheme. Equally, some rugs, which represent extremely good value as furnishing items, are not suitable for long-term investments, while rugs with the highest investment potential may be out of place as decorative items in the home. Some rugs are also more durable than others, and you should remember to take this into account when choosing the type most suited to each room or function.

Hereke, pure silk. Anatolia.

Quality is determined by a combination of aesthetic and structural considerations. The former cannot be defined by any objective criteria and are largely a matter of personal taste, although if you wish to guarantee a reasonable resale value, it is crucial to make sure that your tastes coincide with more universally held views on aesthetic appeal. Therefore, apply the criteria for each weaving category and take into account any characteristics associated with each specific weaving group. Structural quality can be assessed far more objectively. There are four main points to consider:

• The fineness and regularity of the knotting
• The clarity and permanence of the dyes
• The suitability of the pile material
• Whether the rug lies evenly on the floor