rule preferable.
_Amritsar_ gives employment to over twenty thousand men and boys, and
supplies the market with some of the finest of modern Indian rugs.
Leading English and American firms have factories located there, and for
that reason rugs brought into the Occident from Amritsar are reliable.
They are firm in texture, and have fast colors. The manufacturers
realize the importance of these attributes in a rug, and their own
responsibility in the matter.
The _Dhurrie_ (Durrie) is a strong, well-made rug of cotton, often in
stripes of blue, brown, or gray, with narrow yellow and red lines. Some
Dhurries end in a fringe, and are square. In India they are largely used
by the foreign population, and in the United States they are especially
appropriate for summer time. They are made chiefly at Agra, Cawnpur,
Delhi, Lucknow, and in the vicinity of Bombay.
_Ellore_ rugs belong to the inexpensive class, but the designs and
colors are pleasing. As they are made chiefly of fibre mixed with wool,
they are not durable.
Formerly _Haidarabad_ sent out rugs famous for their beauty, with
designs in the forms of medallions, filled with flat floral ornaments
and woven with wool pile on a cotton foundation. But the modern
Haidarabad by no means compares with the antique.
_Jaipur_ rugs are generally made in the schools of art. They contain
many Persian designs representing animals and the cypress tree. The
borders are floral, and the field is generally ivory, red, or blue.
_Lahore_, the British capital of the Punjab, has rugs woven in both wool
and cotton, and the work is done mostly in jails. The designs are
Persian, and the texture embraces from forty to one hundred knots to the
square inch.
_Madras_ rugs are chiefly made in large quantities for commercial and
export purposes.
_Masulipatam_ rugs were once noted for their beauty, but now many of
them are poor in design and workmanship.
_Mirzapur_ rugs are sometimes wrongly sold for Turkish, which they
somewhat resemble. The antiques are very durable, but this cannot be
said of all the modern ones, the vegetable fibre that is used in part in
the construction of them not being durable. Few are exported to the
United States. The colors are often black, orange, or grayish-white.
_Moodj_ is the name given to a coarse, hardy mat, suitable for the
veranda. It is made of buffalo grass, which grows six to twelve feet
high in India. This is harvested, the fibre extracted by pounding, and
then it is twisted into rope or yarn. Afterward it is dyed.
_Multan_ rugs have large geometrical figures in octagons, medallions,
and circles. These rugs are very lasting. Their general coloring is dark
red and blue. Sometimes a really beautiful modern Multan is discovered.
Occasionally an emerald green or a yellow alternates with the usual reds
and blues, and again we see a white ground with blue designs. The modern
ones are not largely imported into America. The antique Multan is very
fine, but scarce.
_Mysore_ rugs are cheap and not interesting.
_Patna_ rugs are usually in blue and white; in quality they resemble the
modern Multan.
_Pushmina_ rugs have their name from the manufacturers, who thus
designate rugs that are woven of pashim.
_Sindh_ rugs are the cheapest and least durable of all Indian rugs, and
on this account not many are imported into the Western market. The
colors are green and orange.
_Srinagar_, the capital city of Kashmir, makes very beautiful rugs from
the finest wool. This is soft and silky, and as natural dyes are
employed, the Srinagar rugs, as well as many other rugs from the
northern portion of India, are highly valued. Antique rugs of this
character are attractive in soft tones of rose and yellow.
_Warangul_ rugs. At Warangul, in the eastern part of the Deccan, modern
rugs have been woven for the past sixty years. The designs are chiefly
Persian, with a strong Indian influence. To show the beauty and delicacy
of some of the old rugs, I may mention that one was made at Warangul, in
the sixteenth century, which contained 3,500,000 knots on its entire
surface, or 400 knots to the square inch, and the designs were so
complicated that a change of needle was required for every knot.
Leading importers now give names to designate the different qualities of
India rugs, and therefore the name borne by a rug does not necessarily
indicate the district in which it was woven. For example the Dhurrie rug
is woven in several districts of the northern provinces.
[Illustration: AFGHANISTAN RUG
SIZE, 9.5 × 7.6
_This rug has a remarkably soft yet firm texture. The rough beauty and
the fine coloring are very attractive. The field is a rich shade of red
verging toward the hue of a blood orange, and again gleaming with far
deeper shades. The large octagons are defined by a very narrow dark
brown line. Two sides of these octagons are in a deep, sapphire blue,
while the remaining two sides are of an orange cast. The octagon
sections are all ornamented, the small red diamonds at the edges being
separated by dark green lines. The lattice-work design in the squares of
the border of the rug are decorated with green and ivory, the latter in
the hook design. The centres of all the octagons are of the orange
shade, and one only is crossed through the centre, the markings being
knots of green. Large diamond forms, barred with sapphire blue and rich
green, are between the octagons on the field. Occasionally a small
geometrical figure in either blue or green, with pale yellow or ivory,
is seen, and a wide red webbing with heavy dark brown lines across it
extends at some length beyond the border. The rug was woven in that
northern region of Afghanistan known as Afghan-Turkestan._
OWNED BY MR. GEORGE HUBBARD HOLT, CHICAGO.]
AFGHANISTAN RUGS
Afghanistan rugs are generally large and nearly square. They are coarser
than the Turkoman rugs, but resemble them in color and design. The
Afghans, however, are more striking, the octagon designs being larger
and bolder. At Kabul, the capital city of Afghanistan, and in other
cities rugs are found which are made by the nomad tribes on the
frontier. The same tribes weave also the cotton and silk rugs said to be
woven at Bhawulpore, India. The Great Rug in the Palace of Chehel Sitoon
(forty pillars) at Ispahan, Persia, is said to be the largest ever
woven, and to measure about sixty feet long by thirty feet wide. This
rug was made in the sixteenth century, and is of Herat design and
manufacture. Owing to political disturbances, weavers from Herat have
settled in the province of Khorassan, Persia, since 1838, and prefer to
call that their home.
Some rugs have a strong odor, which is especially noticeable in those of
Afghanistan. The reason for the presence of the odor is that the
animal's hair has not been properly washed. Nothing but a thorough
cleansing on the back as well as on the surface, with soap and hot water
seems to be effective in carrying it away, although certain atmospheric
changes affect it. A damp, wet day brings out the odor strongly.
Fortunately this disturbing element is not in all Afghan rugs. There is
a great deal of force and strength exhibited in these rugs, and a
richness most attractive in the finest specimens. A color plate in this
volume, with its accompanying description, explains the typical
Afghanistan rug.
BELUCHISTAN RUGS
Beluchistan rugs bear the marks of nomadic workmanship. They show that
they are woven by tribes who combine strength and skill. The designs are
generally geometric, and bold in effect. The rugs have rich dull tones
of blue, red, and often with markings of white or ivory on a foundation
of dark brown, in fact so dark sometimes as to give the appearance of
black. This is accounted for partly by the great abundance of goat's
hair and camel's hair woven into it, which is sometimes dyed even darker
than the natural color. There is a fine lustre in this rug, and it is
one of the hardiest and most durable of all the Oriental rugs. The wool
used is soft and the pile left rather long, which accounts in part for
the rug being so thick and heavy. Occasionally we find a beautiful old
prayer rug in brown tones, and with corner areas in fine dull reds and a
wonderful deep rich blue.
Some of the finest specimens are occasionally sold as blue Bokharas; and
people who imagine that they have purchased one of the latter are likely
to find themselves the possessors of a good Beluch, for there is no such
thing as a blue Bokhara.
CENTRAL ASIA
TURKOMAN RUGS
Turkoman rugs are woven by nomad tribes living in Central Asia. The
tribes are known as the Ersari Goklan, Sarik, Tekké, and Yomud, and most
of these rugs have some points in common, although they vary a good deal
in detail. Generally speaking, the Turkoman takes the greatest care to
have his work perfectly done. In order to give fixity to the color the
dyer steeps the wool in a mordant of alum and water. The dye is almost
invariably brought from Bokhara. At Ashkabad the Turkomans dye the wool
themselves when it is intended to be yellow, but when any other shade is
desired it is sent to the city to be dyed. Camel's hair is largely used
in the rug-weaving of Central Asia. The camel itself is carefully
washed, and the soft hair growing next its skin is used for fine rugs.
The goats of this vast region also receive the same watchful attention
as the camel; the soft, silky fleece is accounted precious, and is used
for the finest Turkoman rugs. The natives use their rugs not only for
the floors of their tents, but as _portières_, thereby dividing the
tent into sections. This is one of the reasons for the heavy fringe one
so frequently sees on the ends. It permits of hanging, and is very
strong, as is the case with the Turkoman rugs themselves, no matter how
fine the texture.
[Illustration: TEKKÉ-TURKOMAN OR "BOKHARA" RUG
SIZE, 6 × 3.1
_The field of this rug is of a deep rose hue, with a soft lustrous
sheen. The texture is like velvet, and every stitch shows that the rug
has been woven with the greatest care. The octagons are divided into
four sections by distinct lines. The colors are orange, turquoise blue,
and a deep blue with markings of yellow and ivory. Between the octagons
are eight-pointed stars. The border is minute in detail, and the rug
itself is a genuine treasure._
OWNED BY MR. RALPH OLIVER SMITH, NEW YORK.]
CHARACTERISTICS OF CERTAIN TURKOMAN RUGS
_Beshir_ rugs resemble in certain aspects the rugs of Afghanistan. The
texture is similar, and the same rich blues and reds are seen; a red
webbing at the ends extends at some length, and has dark lines crossing
it. The rug is longer than the Afghanistan. The field differs. There is
an Arabic effect in the design, and yet with a reminder of the Yomud in
the general aspect. But the hook, which plays so important a part in the
Yomud, is missing.
_Bokhara_ rugs which are made in the city and Khanate of that name, are
not the so-called Bokhara rugs of the Western world. The genuine Bokhara
rugs are of good size, with large patterns, and are very strong and
forceful in character. They are sold in the Occident under the name of
Khiva or Afghanistan.
_Genghis_ (often called Guendje) rugs are woven by a tribe of Turkomans
who live the life of nomads. They are named after Genghis Khan, the
great Mogul conqueror who invaded Central Asia in the year 1218. The
rugs are woven of brown wool, or strong goat's hair, and have rather a
long pile. The designs are mostly geometric, although the palm leaf and
vine are often seen.
_Guendje_ (see Genghis) rugs.
_Kashgar_ rugs are made in Eastern Turkestan. They are quite coarse,
with designs of a Chinese character in strong coloring. Yellows and a
sort of lead-white are much used in these rugs; again, blues and
ivory-white are seen, while reds, pinks, greens, and a deep orange are
common. The Chinese fret, the dragon, and fishes are among the designs
employed. The Tree of Life is of frequent occurrence, but is a crude
representation.
_Khalatch_ rugs are woven by a division of the Ersari tribe of the upper
Oxus, bearing the name Khalatch. They are included under the one greater
head of Turkomans. The rugs are recognized by the single stripes of
bands that divide the field both vertically and horizontally. These
bands are ornamented with single motifs, and are generally considered to
be the earliest decoration of woven fabrics. Besides the bands, stars,
crosses, forms of the hook, and small prayer niches,--one at the top and
one at the bottom, but each facing in the same direction,--are seen.
Often a stark tree effect is noticed. In the trade these Turkoman rugs
are commonly called Kchatchli (pronounced Hatchli--Bokhara).
_Khiva_ rugs are woven by Turkomans inhabiting Central Asia. The
firmness, durability, and bold grandeur of these rugs render them very
pleasing. The field is of one of the splendid reds so much favored by
this great race. Arranged over the field are large forms of the lozenge.
Frequently these large forms contain smaller lozenges, which are very
decorative. Often a part of the larger lozenge forms are indented at
both top and bottom. There is generally a stark tree form between the
lozenges, in a peacock blue color. Much ivory is used throughout the
field and border, in heavy lines of demarcation. These rugs are sold
under the name of Afghan in the Western market. Well-toned shades of
red, blue, tan, ivory, and an occasional green are the usual colors.
Sometimes a Khiva has a long panel centre, with a prayer niche. In many
fine specimens the lustre is an added attraction.
_Samarkand_ rugs are a product of Central Asia. They show distinctly
Chinese characteristics. Sometimes the field is covered with round
medallions, from one to five in number, holding odd figures. The Chinese
fret is common in the design, and sometimes a large crude flower
arrangement is noticed. Reds, magenta, green, blues, a soft fawn, white,
and much yellow, especially in the border, are the usual colors. Soft
and rich, these rugs have a distinctive character, and are attractive.
Their texture, however, is quite thin, and they are not very durable for
the floor, but attractive on the wall or divan.
[Illustration: SAMARKAND RUG
SIZE, 11.6 × 5.10
_This is a fine specimen of the Samarkand rug. As usual in rugs of this
class, the weaving is rather loose and the texture thin. The coloring is
extremely rich and mellow. The field of red is in a warm tone, and the
medallions are in fine shades of blue. One of the border stripes is a
Chinese design. As in all rugs of this description, the Chinese element
is plainly seen, both in design and color, showing what proximity of
location will effect._]
_Tekké-Turkoman_ rugs are sold in the Occident under the name of
Bokharas. The design has little variety, and generally the rugs are
among the easiest to distinguish. The design is usually octagon, in
white or ivory tones with blue and orange, and occasionally green, upon
a field of rich deep red, or rose. Brown and black, with white, are also
used in the lines of demarcation or in the border. Sometimes the smaller
designs are very decorative. Occasionally in the past this tribe, which
is considered the most savage of all the Turkomans, has woven a rug with
a diamond figure in place of the octagon, but this is not typical. Also
instead of the usual red field a wonderful mahogany shade is seen with a
rare green in place of the usual blue of the octagon. In the borders one
often finds the eight-pointed star. The Tekké tribe use their rugs as
_portières_, for divan covers, and for floor coverings. Rich in
coloring, fine, yet durable, these rugs are greatly prized.
_Yarkand_ rugs are very similar to Kashgar rugs, having the same general
characteristics.
_Yomud_ rugs are woven by the tribe bearing that name, whose territory
seems to include both Astrabad and Khiva. The rugs woven by this tribe
are in rich tones of deep red or plum, sometimes mahogany in tone. The
design most frequently seen is the diamond, surrounded by the hook. The
weaving is very satisfactory, and the coloring in brownish-reds is
particularly good. In some odd and rare pieces among the Yomud
Turkomans, blue figures conspicuously, as does green also. The border in
these rugs is sometimes in stripes, sometimes in a sort of crudely drawn
vine.
CAUCASIAN RUGS
_Caucasus_ is a general government belonging to Russia, and including
Transcaucasia. The designs of the many rugs woven in this section of
country are all parts of a system, and each design bears certain marks
whereby its class may be identified.
_Daghestan_ rugs are made in fine wools, and the mosaic designs are
generally beautifully and skilfully done. The figures are nearly always
geometrical, and in the form of diamonds, long octagons, lozenges,
hooks, and small crosses. The colors of the best Daghestans are so well
selected, that although there is no shading there is seldom anything
aggressive or startling in the effect. Blues, reds, yellows, ivory, and
other hues are chiefly used. The rug has a short, close pile, and
although the texture is rather thin, the rug is very durable.
_Derbent_ rugs, though woven at Derbent, the chief city of the province
of Daghestan, differ somewhat from the Daghestans proper, being much
softer and thicker. They are also more loosely woven, and have a longer
pile. The designs are geometrical, several star devices often occupying
the field; and here again we see the hook, which is a feature of the
entire Daghestan province. There is a good lustre in the Derbent rugs,
and the coloring is often quiet and inconspicuous in dark blue, red,
yellow, and ivory. Sometimes a soft pink is noticed.
_Kabistan_ (Cabistan) rugs are woven at Kuba. They resemble the
Daghestans to such an extent that they are often sold under that name.
They have, however, more variety of design, although, as in the
Daghestans, the diamond is generally a prominent feature, and often
three large and many small diamonds are seen. The texture is firm, and
the pile cut very close. Soft reds, greens, a delicate fawn, and browns
are the usual colors. The borders may be in stripes, or with crude
animal or bird devices. The antique Kabistan is very beautiful. Its
texture is like velvet. Often one, and sometimes two borders contain the
small single pink which is a most decorative floral ornament. The reds,
light greens, ivory, and plum colors are arranged artistically, and
quaint animal forms are often seen.
_Karabagh_ rugs have characteristics of the other Caucasian rugs, but
are more crude in coloring. Red is the chief color used. The rugs are
coarse and quite crude in effect. The old-time rugs were vastly superior
in workmanship.
[Illustration: DAGHESTAN RUG
SIZE, 7 × 3.5
_This rug has a fine texture and is straighter than most Daghestans. It
is an antique, but its colors are as fast and clear as when it was first
woven. It has been cleaned again and again, but nothing seems to dim its
hues. The field of light blue is thickly studded with large and small
geometrical figures in reds, yellows, and white. Some of the forms are
in the lozenge design, with colors in red and yellow, the reds
containing fine shadings of blue. Again square forms are seen, many
holding the same colors, ornamented with contrasting but harmonious
hues. In the centre are two geometrical figures of considerable size,
one in yellow, and one in red. Each of these has yellow and white in its
centre. On either side are still larger forms in yellow and blue. The
border is geometrical, the hook design in a bracket being in evidence,
and outside of this is a narrower stripe in red, white, black, and
yellow. The many markings add greatly to the beauty of this interesting
Daghestan._
REPRODUCED BY COURTESY OF MR. CLARENCE BURLEY, CHICAGO.]
_Kazak_ rugs are woven by a nomad tribe dwelling among the Caucasus
Mountains. There is a certain strength and vigor about the Kazak rugs
that seem to be in harmony with the tribe that weaves them. The word
Kazak is a corruption of Cossack; and the durability of these rugs, as
well as a certain boldness of effect in their designs and colors,
corresponds with the hardihood of the people who weave them. The rugs
are thick and soft; their colors are blues, soft reds, and greens. Often
the field is a deep rose or a green, sometimes with one or more
geometrical figures and several medallions, or with the palm-leaf design
in rather large size throughout. When the palm leaf is used, it is
generally decorated with a smaller leaf of a different hue. Many
varieties of small designs are also seen, including circles, diamonds,
squares, and the tau cross, which is almost always present. Some of the
antique Kazaks are very fine.
_Shirvan_ rugs are attractive from their quiet, agreeable tints, and
fine, even texture. They are made in large quantities, and readily sold.
The best are of white wool, but the inferior ones may hold cotton or
goat's hair. Often blues and whites are the colors employed, with
markings of red or yellow. Sometimes there are stripes in the border,
one wide stripe followed by a series of narrow ones. The hook is a
frequent design, and may be found in the field, incasing some
geometrical figure. Sometimes a conventionalized floral design is
observed in the border.
_Soumak_ rugs ought really to be called Shemakha, for that is the name
of the town in the government of Baku from which they are exported. But
the contraction of the word into Soumak is now universal. Erroneously
too, these rugs are known as "Kashmir," for the sole reason that they
are woven with a flat stitch and the loose ends left hanging at the
back, just as they are in the old Kashmir shawls. The designs bear a
resemblance to those of the Daghestans, and the hook is omnipresent. The
best are durable, and sometimes a rarely beautiful Soumak is discovered,
distinguished from the ordinary specimens by its soft hues and fine
texture. One that I have in mind is of a rich blue field, with
geometrical figures in terra cotta shades, and a rare bit of green in
the way of ornamentation; the field of another is rose, and the
geometrical forms are in deep blues, old blues, and ivory.
_Tchechen_ (Chichi or Tzitzi) rugs are made by the Chichi nomads living
among the mountains of Daghestan. The rugs have a strong resemblance to
the Shirvans, and are often sold under that name. They are of about the
same color and quality, but are wider. In the border there are
frequently geometrical designs arranged between two or more stripes, and
the tau cross is sometimes seen.
[Illustration: KAZAK RUG
SIZE, 8.3 × 4.10
_This is an unusually fine specimen of a Kazak rug. Its softness,
combined with its solidity, gives it force and beauty. On the wonderful
rose field a series of geometrical figures, five in number, are placed.
Odd figures, including stiff little animals, fill in the remaining
field. The wide border is composed of small diamonds, with varied forms
of the hook design. The strength of the Cossacks is displayed in this
hardy, forceful, and richly colored rug._
OWNED BY MRS. CYRUS H. MCCORMICK, CHICAGO.]
IV
MISCELLANEOUS ORIENTAL RUGS
RUGS OF THE HOLY LAND
No rugs of importance are woven in Palestine. In several villages a
coarse cloth is made which is waterproof because of its firm texture. It
is used for cloaks or abas, and these are worn by all the men of the
land. In Bethlehem is made the coarse cloth which is used as tent
covering. This is produced from the sombre hair of the Palestine goat.