The Persians are the true ancestors to the modern day Pakistan rugs, having arrived in Pakistan in the 16th century. This early Persian intrusion left a permanent mark on the Pakistan rug producing industry, which it has not been able to do away with. However, the industry is a huge one making Pakistan the fourth largest rug exporter in the world.
Though most of the rugs from Pakistan are machine made nowadays, it can by no means be compared with the handmade rugs. They not only excel in their stunning beauty, but also remain intact for generations, aging like wine. Moreover, they are easy to keep up and to be kept clean. These enduring qualities make the hand made rug a coveted item in home adornment.
Pakistan Rug - Handmade Delight
There are two main styles of the Pakistan rug today, that is made of wool on cotton bases.
- Firstly, rugs showing Persian (Kerman , Kashan, and Tabriz) styled designs. These hand woven rugs are excellent in quality and often highly priced.
- Secondly, rugs following the famous Turkmen Bokhara (Afghani) design that has recurring guls. The Bokhara rugs are produced from extraordinarily soft and lustrous wool with designs using only two to four colors.
Two other styles are popular too:
- One being the European styled Aubusson.
- Another is the Persian styled modern rug called war rugs . Though the dyes used are natural, the knots hand tied and the colors the usual ones, these rugs stand out in the design elements used. Instead of the traditional geometric and floral patterns, they feature weapons of war.
The Pakistan rug may not be that popular but few know that they rank second only to the Persian rugs regarding durability. So the next time you go rug hunting, do give these rugs a try.
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