An Exceptional Discovery
In 1949 a lucky archaeological excavation directed by Russian scholars and Rudenko Grinzanov on Altai Mountains, in northwestern Mongolia, brought to light the oldest carpet in the world, by then known as the Pazyryk, according to the name of the region where it was found.
For almost two thousand years had been preserved by the ice in an underground tomb of a Scythian nobleman and in all probability it was the funeral, along with a wagon dismantled, the remains of a horse or other property belonging to the deceased.
The exceptional discovery constituted a tangible confirmation of what was known from historical sources, such as the writings of Herodotus and Xenophon, and literary, like the Homeric poems. All these works, in fact, testified that at some ancient peoples of Asia the art of weaving was so advanced as to allow the execution of fine artifacts, perhaps carpet, typically used as mats.
But the example of Pazyryk, now in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, is not only the cornerstone from which to reconstruct the history suggestive of Oriental rug. Made around the fifth century BC, as well as confirm the tests with radioactive carbon, continues to impress scholars for the accuracy and executive for the suggestion symbolic decorations. Has indeed a dense knot of 3600 symmetrical knots per square decimeter and complex designs, enhanced by harmonious polychrome, with prevalence of red cochineal, the pale green, the yellow, pink, ivory and a delicate point of orange. Almost square (200 x 183 cm), the center of the field proposes a series of twenty-four panels with lance-shaped leaves arranged in a cross and small buds. Run around five frames, of which the main external is of great interest iconographic. It represents a procession of warriors on horseback or on the side of his steed. The other borders are inspired of the field, or propose decorations inspired stylization of animals, including deer and griffins at the Scythians were linked to the cult of the dead.
The Authors Of Pazyryk
Like any sensational and unexpected discovery, even the discovery of the Pazyryk immediately poses a series of questions: that symbolic meaning was to be attributed to his designs? To which people belonged his talented players, whose skill in the art of weaving was demonstrated by a technical refinement for the time really amazing?
Pazyryk Carpet The first question was solved with relative ease, considering both the place of discovery, a tomb in fact, is a few pages of the Histories of Herodotus, where the author describes greek with great detail the funeral liturgy of the Scythians, who celebrated the death of a noble warrior with a series of complex rituals and macabre. After the embalmed body of the hero, the parade was done for forty days in his territory and therefore you inumava with the wagon, the horse and the bodies of his wife and concubine. But the solemn ritual not ended here, because a year later were sacrificed fifty horsemen belonged to the result of the deceased and their corpses were placed at the entrance delia burial to watch over the rest of their leader. All the objects found in the tomb of the Pazyryk seem then confirm the story of the historic Bromley and the same patterns of the main frame, with its solemn soldiers on horses, almost certainly remember the time of the sacrifice of the knights.
The second question is still partially unsolved. Scholars agree that a masterpiece so relevant expertise executive cannot be attributed only to the creative genius of the Scythians, but has requested the help of techniques developed from other Asian cultures. Rudenko believed that the Pazyryk were performed by expert weavers of Persian Achaemenid period. But the argument does not convince some scholars - especially given the considerable geographical distance between Persia and Mongolia - who argue that the rug was made with input evolute Urartians of civilization, which flourished in the area of Armenia. At such people, in fact, the texture was extremely evolved, as confirmed by both the writings of the historian Strabo greek is the discovery of frames and fragments of artifacts. Also right in the kingdom of Urartu was used to extract the purple color from cochineal dye that appears abundantly in the Pazyryk carpet.
Other Findings
After the Pazyryk, the oldest carpets in our possession only date back to the thirteenth century. Yet sporadic but significant findings testify as in the Middle East dell'annodatura art continued to flourish. On the reliefs of At Tar, for example, not far from the Iraqi city of Karbala, in caves intended interment of the dead, were found scraps of carpet with double fleece, ie nodes also in reverse. Dated between 250 and 650 AD, were probably woven in the Persian area and perhaps used for saddling the horses, as it seems to confirm the technique of double knotting, very appropriate to reduce friction. In East Turkestan, near Lake Lop Nur, were unearthed fragments of knotted with the same features, dating back to the III-IV AD and well preserved by the desert sand.
While constituting fragmented evidence, these findings allow us to say that many centuries ago, in many areas of Asia, the art dell'annodatura was widespread and practiced by different peoples who used techniques rather complex. As thus denying the inseparable combination between Middle Eastern culture and the world of the carpet?
History and Legend: The Wonderful Carpet
Historical and literary sources tell us that in the palace of Ctesiphon, the capital of ancient Persia Sassanid king Khosrow, who held power 531-579 AD, had a wonderful and precious carpet cleaning services woven with threads of gold and decorated with precious stones. This masterpiece went unfortunately lost when the Arabs in 634 AD, invaded and conquered Persia. Her beauty was to be truly unparalleled: a riot of colors and designs, all used to enhance the supreme harmony of nature.
According to legend, in fact, was woven to console the sovereign, lover of hunting and outdoors, in the sad winter days.
Reproduced forests, streams and meadows populated by animals of each species and enlivened by colorful flowers. Admiring the king soothed his soul, which in the cold season became cruel, and returned tolerant towards his subjects.
The splendor of antique carpets is also confirmed by other sources of literature, including the Million Marco Polo, the Venetian traveler in which exalts the supreme beauty of some knotted adorning the straps Turkish. Fortunately, since the thirteenth century, we can reconstruct the history of Oriental rugs not only through the words of those who had the privilege to admire them with their own eyes, but also through artefacts found in Turkey. Their story, along with that of the ancient masterpieces Persian, Anatolian and Chinese, will be treated from time to time in the parts of this work dedicated to the different geographical areas in which art flourished.
In 1949 a lucky archaeological excavation directed by Russian scholars and Rudenko Grinzanov on Altai Mountains, in northwestern Mongolia, brought to light the oldest carpet in the world, by then known as the Pazyryk, according to the name of the region where it was found.
For almost two thousand years had been preserved by the ice in an underground tomb of a Scythian nobleman and in all probability it was the funeral, along with a wagon dismantled, the remains of a horse or other property belonging to the deceased.
The exceptional discovery constituted a tangible confirmation of what was known from historical sources, such as the writings of Herodotus and Xenophon, and literary, like the Homeric poems. All these works, in fact, testified that at some ancient peoples of Asia the art of weaving was so advanced as to allow the execution of fine artifacts, perhaps carpet, typically used as mats.
But the example of Pazyryk, now in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, is not only the cornerstone from which to reconstruct the history suggestive of Oriental rug. Made around the fifth century BC, as well as confirm the tests with radioactive carbon, continues to impress scholars for the accuracy and executive for the suggestion symbolic decorations. Has indeed a dense knot of 3600 symmetrical knots per square decimeter and complex designs, enhanced by harmonious polychrome, with prevalence of red cochineal, the pale green, the yellow, pink, ivory and a delicate point of orange. Almost square (200 x 183 cm), the center of the field proposes a series of twenty-four panels with lance-shaped leaves arranged in a cross and small buds. Run around five frames, of which the main external is of great interest iconographic. It represents a procession of warriors on horseback or on the side of his steed. The other borders are inspired of the field, or propose decorations inspired stylization of animals, including deer and griffins at the Scythians were linked to the cult of the dead.
The Authors Of Pazyryk
Like any sensational and unexpected discovery, even the discovery of the Pazyryk immediately poses a series of questions: that symbolic meaning was to be attributed to his designs? To which people belonged his talented players, whose skill in the art of weaving was demonstrated by a technical refinement for the time really amazing?
Pazyryk Carpet The first question was solved with relative ease, considering both the place of discovery, a tomb in fact, is a few pages of the Histories of Herodotus, where the author describes greek with great detail the funeral liturgy of the Scythians, who celebrated the death of a noble warrior with a series of complex rituals and macabre. After the embalmed body of the hero, the parade was done for forty days in his territory and therefore you inumava with the wagon, the horse and the bodies of his wife and concubine. But the solemn ritual not ended here, because a year later were sacrificed fifty horsemen belonged to the result of the deceased and their corpses were placed at the entrance delia burial to watch over the rest of their leader. All the objects found in the tomb of the Pazyryk seem then confirm the story of the historic Bromley and the same patterns of the main frame, with its solemn soldiers on horses, almost certainly remember the time of the sacrifice of the knights.
The second question is still partially unsolved. Scholars agree that a masterpiece so relevant expertise executive cannot be attributed only to the creative genius of the Scythians, but has requested the help of techniques developed from other Asian cultures. Rudenko believed that the Pazyryk were performed by expert weavers of Persian Achaemenid period. But the argument does not convince some scholars - especially given the considerable geographical distance between Persia and Mongolia - who argue that the rug was made with input evolute Urartians of civilization, which flourished in the area of Armenia. At such people, in fact, the texture was extremely evolved, as confirmed by both the writings of the historian Strabo greek is the discovery of frames and fragments of artifacts. Also right in the kingdom of Urartu was used to extract the purple color from cochineal dye that appears abundantly in the Pazyryk carpet.
Other Findings
After the Pazyryk, the oldest carpets in our possession only date back to the thirteenth century. Yet sporadic but significant findings testify as in the Middle East dell'annodatura art continued to flourish. On the reliefs of At Tar, for example, not far from the Iraqi city of Karbala, in caves intended interment of the dead, were found scraps of carpet with double fleece, ie nodes also in reverse. Dated between 250 and 650 AD, were probably woven in the Persian area and perhaps used for saddling the horses, as it seems to confirm the technique of double knotting, very appropriate to reduce friction. In East Turkestan, near Lake Lop Nur, were unearthed fragments of knotted with the same features, dating back to the III-IV AD and well preserved by the desert sand.
While constituting fragmented evidence, these findings allow us to say that many centuries ago, in many areas of Asia, the art dell'annodatura was widespread and practiced by different peoples who used techniques rather complex. As thus denying the inseparable combination between Middle Eastern culture and the world of the carpet?
History and Legend: The Wonderful Carpet
Historical and literary sources tell us that in the palace of Ctesiphon, the capital of ancient Persia Sassanid king Khosrow, who held power 531-579 AD, had a wonderful and precious carpet cleaning services woven with threads of gold and decorated with precious stones. This masterpiece went unfortunately lost when the Arabs in 634 AD, invaded and conquered Persia. Her beauty was to be truly unparalleled: a riot of colors and designs, all used to enhance the supreme harmony of nature.
According to legend, in fact, was woven to console the sovereign, lover of hunting and outdoors, in the sad winter days.
Reproduced forests, streams and meadows populated by animals of each species and enlivened by colorful flowers. Admiring the king soothed his soul, which in the cold season became cruel, and returned tolerant towards his subjects.
The splendor of antique carpets is also confirmed by other sources of literature, including the Million Marco Polo, the Venetian traveler in which exalts the supreme beauty of some knotted adorning the straps Turkish. Fortunately, since the thirteenth century, we can reconstruct the history of Oriental rugs not only through the words of those who had the privilege to admire them with their own eyes, but also through artefacts found in Turkey. Their story, along with that of the ancient masterpieces Persian, Anatolian and Chinese, will be treated from time to time in the parts of this work dedicated to the different geographical areas in which art flourished.