The geographic area where Oriental rugs are made has come to be known as the “Rug Belt.” The region spans from North Africa to the Middle East and into Central Asia and northern India.

It includes countries such as northern China, Tibet, Turkey, Iran, the Maghreb in the west, the Caucasus in the north, and India and Pakistan in the south. Oriental rugs were also made in South Africa from the early 1980s to mid 1990s in the village of Ilinge close to Queenstown.

When, why, how and where did it all begin? Rug weaving as an art began in Persia, now Iran, approximately 2,500 years ago. Rugs were originally woven by nomadic tribes, for decoration and protection from harsh weather conditions. Eventually, Oriental carpets began to develop into traditional patterns and became a work of art that was also utilitarian. From the Middle East to Euro-Asian countries, rugs and carpets provided covering for floors, tables, chairs — even huts themselves — and were also used for bedding.

How are rugs made?

• Weaving

Any hand-knotted or hand-woven rug is going to be made while on a loom. This has threads running vertically, which are called the warp threads (and which are used to make the fringes at either end). Carpets also have “weft” threads. These are run on the loom before any knots are added when a hand-knotted rug is produced. On the other hand, the weaving of the hand-woven rug is what creates the weft for that rug.

• Hand-knotted

Hand-knotted rugs are made of thousands or millions of tight and tiny knots. They usually more sturdy and heavy duty than hand-woven rugs, because of the labor intensity required to make them.

• Hand-woven

As their name implies, they are made on a loom and woven rather than being formed by millions of tiny knots. Does it mean they are less valuable overall? No, because many hand-woven rugs involve a special sort of spinning for the woolens or threads used, and many also use hand dyed threads that involve a great deal of time and care. Kilim rugs, for example, are highly prized by rug enthusiasts and often of significant value.

• Different types of knots

There are two main types of knots you'll see: the Turkish knot (also called a Ghiordes knot) and the Persian knot (also called a Senneh knot). Turkish knots are most common in rugs made in northwestern Iran, Kurdistan, Azerbaijan, and of course, Turkey.