We have used area rugs since the start of civilization. The Paleolithic men use rugs that are made from animal skin and reeds. Eskimos use rugs that are made from bear or seal fur to keep their igloos warm. Different areas in the world create rugs from materials that are most abundant in their place. During the era of Jesus Christ, sheep are reared for different purposes. One of these is to shear their wool to make into rugs and clothing. In the east, an oriental area rug is a significant part of their culture. No matter the size of the house, you will always find a rug that is matched with the interior design. Even owners of costly houses decorate their homes with wool rugs that are machine-loomed.

The First Discovered Area Rug

A Russian archaeologist discovered the first area rug during his exploration in the year 1949. The woolen Pazyryk rug is hand-woven, and still has its exquisite features intact. Discovered within a frozen burial site in Siberia, the wool rug features an amazing design, rich colors, and great texture. The most wonderful thing about this discovery is that the rug has been extraordinarily well preserved within the site. It lay buried under the ground for twenty-five centuries. This area rug, which is made from wool, is a unique Saka art example that is characterized with hand-knotting methods. This hand-weaving technique is still utilized during the modern times.

The "Spring of Khosrau" Area Rug

The well-known "Spring of Khosrau" is another woolen area rug discovered way back the old times. Owned by a Persian king, the hand-knotted wool rug is huge and decorated with rich designs. It has been estimated that the rug has been created around 550 BC. It is made from wool, gold, silk, gemstones, and silver. Its texture is woven with breathtaking springtime scenery. There are flower blooms, green meadows, and birds. This area rug contains typical Persian carpet design wonders. This Persian wool rug is so exquisite that its entire area measures 400,000 sq ft. You could just imagine the amount of work that is being put into the creation of the rug.

The Konya Carpets of Turkey

For the people in Turkey, making carpets is an old tradition for every household. Among the ancient surviving area rugs from the country are the recognized "Konya carpets," which are composed of 18 beautiful carpets. They are piled into hand-knots, and woven during the thirteenth century within the peninsula of Anatolia. These woolen rugs are created under the dynasty of Seljuc, with calligraphy borders known as "kufi." The rug also features symmetric geometrical designs that are repeated within the center. This wonderful art of carpet making has been passed down from generation to generation within the country. As a matter of fact, you can still see beautifully made hand-woven carpets and rugs sold in the street stalls of Turkey.

The rich culture of weaving area rugs persists during the modern times. If you want to decorate your home with a magnificently designed rug, there are several manufacturers that you can purchase from. While it is quite a hassle to look around your local mall for the best rugs, the search is more convenient on the Internet. There are plenty of websites that offer exquisite area rugs that are made from different materials.