The art of Tibetan rug weaving is an ancient craft and a “centuries old” tradition of the Tibetan people. The skill of carpet weaving has been handed down from generation to generation and the weaving and knotting techniques have remained much the same today.
Researchers believe that the origin of Tibetan rug weaving evolved in isolation within Tibet and dates back as far and beyond the 4th century BC. These findings have been supported through evidence found during excavations around Tibet and the Silk Road reviling the ancient weaving (knotting) technique and the vertical loom. Evidence of wool processing in Tibet can also be traced back to the 4th century BC.
Tibetan rugs are exclusively different from other “hand woven” rugs world wide. They are eloquently unique and the “loop knot” used in the weaving process has no “equivalent”. No other rug region in the world uses this knot. The type of wool, the vertical loom and the use of an extensive range of colour combinations, symbolism and their thick plush pile composition sets these beautiful “works of art” apart from any other “cultural” hand woven rugs.
Asian artworks, handicrafts and carpets are rarely just ornamental “art works”. Traditional Tibetan carpets are the bearers of encrypted messages written in an ancient language of symbolism. The messages are intended to bring prosperity, good luck, long life, protection, and well-being to their owner. Each symbol has a traditional Tibetan meaning, signifying the Tibetan way of life and Buddhism. Every carpet is handmade, individually exclusive and tells a story of a hidden culture which has only been researched in recent times.
Tibetan rugs are also referred to as tribal rugs due to their Nomadic origins in the high Himalayan plateaus of Tibet. For centuries, the Tibetan people have utilised their rugs for many purposes including flooring, blankets, wall hangings, bedding, chair covers, horse saddles and by lamas in Tibetan Buddhist monasteries. They were also found in ancient palaces and courts throughout China and the Middle East. Today, they can be found in Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and in homes throughout the world, displayed as “artwork” on walls, tables, sofas and as show pieces on floors.
Traditional Tibetan carpets including the rugs produced today are of the highest quality and they are highly valued world wide. Tibetan rugs are renowned for retaining their fine appearance and can last for 100’s of years. These fine works of art are family heirlooms in the Tibetan tradition and can be handed down from generation to generation.
Antique Tibetan rugs are being increasingly sought after as collector’s items in Europe and the USA and they are often sold and auctioned in upper class establishments in Beverly Hills, New York, Germany and the UK. Their ages can be dated back for 100’s of years and they can be distinguished by their colour and symbolic combinations, the type of under surface foundation and their dye pigments and floral designs.
Traditionally, the natural pigment materials used to colour the yarn were sourced from regional vegetation producing reds, pinks, oranges, yellows, browns, green and blues. Antique rugs were historically made in strict accordance to Buddhist designs and knot counts. They are also known to portray influences from historical Chinese floral designs and symbols. Whites, greys, black and natural colours were not evident until the 19th century when aniline colours spread to Tibet from India.
Successive to the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1959 approximately one million Tibetans fled their country and sought asylum in India, Bhutan and Nepal. In recent years carpet weaving has evolved as the primary means of support for Tibetan people living in exile in Nepal and India. Many Tibetan’s now reside in refugee camps within these countries and through the sale of carpets, they are able to provide an education of their children, medical care, housing and aged care for their elderly.