CARPETS
INDIAN HANDICRAFTS – CARPETS
Carpet Handicraft is a textile floor covering consisting of an upper layer of “pile” attached to a backing. The Indian Carpets are well known for their designs with attention to detail and presentation of realistic attributes. The Carpets industry in India flourished more in its northern part with major centers found in Kashmir, Jaipur, Agra and Bhadohi City. The pile is generally either made from wool or a manmade fibre such as polypropylene, and usually consists of twisted tufts which are often heat-treated to maintain their structure.
Their are many Carpets types such as Woven, Needlefelt, Knotted, Tufted. The term ‘Carpets’ derives from Old Italian carpita, “carpire” meaning to pluck. The term “Carpets” is used interchangeably with the term “rug”. But, they are not the same thing. Historically the word was also used for table and wall coverings, as Carpets were not commonly used on the floor in European interiors until the 18th century.
A Carpet stretches from wall-to-wall while a rug does not. Though this is considered a modern American usage and rugs have been considered in the past as of lower quality and of smaller size, with Carpetss quite often having finished ends. Only with the opening of trade routes in the 17th century were significant numbers of Persian rugs introduced to Western Europe.