HISTORY OF TIBETAN CARPET

Tibetan carpets, once beautiful and useful articles in many of the peaceful Tibetan homes were used as decorations and during cold winter nights as sources of comfort. On long caravan journeys from one bartering place to another the saddle carpet proved an indispensable piece of equipment for every nomad. At each resting place the saddle carpet was taken off the horse’s back and spread on the ground. The thick warm pile provided protection against cold and humidity.

The Tibetan carpet field is slowly becoming a subject of interest to collectors as market trends continue to confound dealers and scholars. These weaving from Tibetan plateau have been available on the market since the 1970s, the result of exodus of thousands of refugees during hardships and fervor of the Cultural Revolutions.

Until then, Tibetan carpets were relatively unknown in the west. “The Land of Snows” was an impenetrable country which only a privileged few saw in its original state. These early travelers were not concerned with an apparent village craft which was certainly not as impressive or memorable as the religious art if the monasteries and temples for which Tibet is renowned.

Generally, the truly older Tibetan carpet pieces most commonly found are made with wool wraps and the knot count per square inch is very low. This is the single most evident characteristics of the older carpets of Tibetan which are generally associated with western and southern Tibetan origin. Surprisingly, the Tibetans were able to achieve sophisticated designs with as little as nine per knots per square inch, unheard of occurrences in the Middle Eastern countries or China. The wool also seems more lustrous, having more lanolin than urban workshop wool. Tibetan wool is among the first natural fibers in the world for carpet making.

Buddhism basically influences the traditional design of the Nepalese carpets but in recent years the Nepalese manufacturers have introduced modern design and colors in the line with the present day market tastes.