carpet: Early History

Carpets were formerly woven to protect the body from cold, to be spread on a dais or before a seat of honor, to cover a table, couch, or wall, or to form the curtains of a tent. There is evidence of the existence of handwoven carpets in antiquity. On the rock tombs of Beni Hassan, Egypt, c.2500 b.c., men are depicted with the implements of rug weaving. Other evidence of the early use of rugs is seen in the drawings on the ancient palace walls of Nineveh.

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Other Rugs
• European Carpets
• Oriental Carpets
• Early History
• Carpet Types and Modern Manufactures
• Bibliography

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