For as long as humans hunted animals, we used their fur to keep ourselves warm. We wrapped ourselves to keep warm and offer protection from the elements. But we also added the pelts of our hunt to our living spaces to keep our feet off of cold surfaces and to add comfort to our homes. This could be considered the first rugs that man used, but we still don’t know when rug making came to be.
Based on an article written by Ruth Travis, aka “Rug Lady,” she states that the first fabric floor coverings were found in the Orient. The Orient mainly consists of all parts of Asia but has often been considered to stretch through the Middle East and all the way to the west coast of Western Sahara. The first floor coverings were created around 3,000 B.C. and Egypt has been remarked as the first country to produce rugs. But the oldest rug, Pazyryk Carpet, comes from Siberia and is believed to have been created around 500 B.C. as stated on wikipedia.
A Turkish carpet market
All things considered, rug making has improved significantly since ancient times. We can mass produce thousands of rugs per day with many materials, extreme precision, and unequivocal efficiency. But, many people find handcrafted rugs just as appealing if not more appealing than the perfectly manufactured rugs we see today. This mainly boils down to how much someone is willing to spend and their personal preferences. But that’s the beauty of rugs, they can in many different ways and be used for many different purposes.
There are those that use rugs to add a splash of color to a more modest room, or to tie the highlights of our spaces together. There are people that use rugs to deaden the echo of larger, more spacious rooms. Some use rugs to cushion our feet from cold and hard surfaces. And there are those that hang rugs on walls to show off their intricate design or to preserve the handcrafted beauty of the things that they own. Rugs can tell stories and can bring life into a room. Like Edgar Allan Poe wrote in his Philosophy of Furniture, “The soul of the apartment is the carpet. From it are deduced not only the hues but the forms of all objects incumbent.”
Traditional carpet weaving technique
Nowadays we have the ability to buy beautiful looking rugs for reasonable prices. But there are still those people who want handcrafted rugs from overseas; the only problem is that just how the rug-making industry has grown, so has the abilities of rug scammers. We advise that if you are in the market for genuine Turkish, Persian, or Oriental rugs that you do your research and make certain that you aren’t being scammed. If you are concerned about purchasing a rug overseas, one of the best things to do is find a reputable and credible merchant that will give you what you ask for.
A rustic rug in a stylish baby bedroom
Now that you know a bit of the history of rugs, we have to make sure that you maintain your rug. Not only to preserve its beauty but also to keep your home hygienic. Rugs although nice underfoot, they do trap dirt, debris, and stains.
Luckily, Kelly Cleaning & Supplies, Inc. has highly trained technicians that are equipped with truck mounted steam cleaning equipment to tackle your rugs and carpets!
Kelly is also opening a new division, the Ultimate Rug Spa, solely dedicated to cleaning your precious rugs and valuable furniture! Kelly has imported directly from Turkey, state of the art rug cleaning equipment that can leave your carpet stain and odor free with no fear of damage! Give us a call at (805) 644-5308 to schedule an appointment for your rug and visit us at KellyClean.net to see our other services.
References
Poe, Edgar Allan. “Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore – Works – Tales – The Philosophy of Furniture (Reprint).” Www.Eapoe.Org, www.eapoe.org/works/essays/philfrnc.htm. Accessed 1 Oct. 2020.
Travis, Ruth. “Rug History.” Rugladyseminars.Com, 2019, rugladyseminars.com/blog-items/42-rug-history#:~:text=The%20earliest%20fabric%20floor%20coverings. Accessed 1 Oct. 2020.
Wikipedia. “Pazyryk Rug.” Wikipedia, 22 July 2020, simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pazyryk_rug. Accessed 1 Oct. 2020.
