Do You Know the History of Rugs? Well, We Do.

Rugs have been around for longer than you would think. Older than innovative products and services such as sliced bread, indoor plumbing, planes, trains, and automobiles, rugs can be traced back to ancient times. Various types of weaving have been historically associated with ancient civilizations, as excavators have discovered scraps of weaving in Mesopotamian and Egyptian tombs. This indicates that the practice of weaving was in full swing over 4,000 years ago.

Historians believe that the concept of having a rug in the home was at first to serve a utilitarian purpose. Animal hides were used on the floor of huts and shelters to create a softer surface because as tempting as it was for nomadic tribes in Asia to sleep on the cold, hard, dirt floor, they needed to get creative.

But soon, the nomads discovered that animals hides weren’t all that great either. Turning to the fluffy, cuddly sheep herds that they conveniently raised as an occupation, the nomads started to weave straw into gold, or in this case, wool into rugs. Shepherding and subsequent weaving soon became a lucrative job, and now nomadic wanderers in Asia are credited with being the first group of people to produce rugs in quantity.

While the nomads got the ball rolling, the Persians perfected the art. Persian royalty commissioned rugs to be made out of wool, silk, gold, silver and rare stones. The Persian kings knew they had to walk the walk if they were going to talk the talk. Hence, rugs have long been recognized as a symbol of prestige and stature.

Fast forward to today and rugs are still used for beauty and utility. While the rare stone trend didn’t exactly catch on, artisan and oriental rugs are popular statements in many homes. Next time you’re shopping for a new rug, channel your inner royalty and treat yourself. Life’s too short to not make a statement with your rug. Just ask the Persians.