The history of carpets is the history of humanity itself.
Because we, as people, have a natural desire to create an atmosphere of coziness around us. A caveman, or more likely a cavewoman, felt the need to place some kind of fur on the floor of the cave for comfort and warmth. Although we no longer have the same inherent needs as our ancestors, a similar tendency motivates us today when we place carpets on our floors.
The carpet originated as a sleeping mat, intended to provide people with protection and comfort while resting.
Initially, animal skins were used, and later coarse plain-weave fabrics. The carpet was also used as a shroud for the dead and as a blanket in which objects and tools could be carried. It was an important item for those who were forced to follow their herds. The carpet transformed the cold, hard ground into a bed. As people gradually began to live more settled lives, carpets changed from private possessions into objects of barter trade.
Carpets are made from animal fibers, plant fibers, and synthetic fibers.
Wool is considered the classic fiber for carpets because it provides resilience, durability, and ease of cleaning. Practically all hand-woven oriental carpets were made of wool, although a few silk carpets were made in the 17th and 18th centuries as prayer rugs. Even camel and goat hair were used. After people learned to weave, they made floor mats from grasses and other plant materials.
No one knows exactly when the first carpet was made.
Textile fragments dating back several thousand years have been discovered across the Asian continent. It is believed that the earliest woven carpets came from the Orient. Egypt is credited with the beginnings of carpet making around 3000 BC. The gradual improvement of weaving and design made it possible to create more elaborate fabric weaves.
Michał Miłowski
