Illustration: The Pazyryk rug, c500bc.
The Pazyryk rug is the oldest surviving example of a complete rug discovered so far. It was probably produced in the 5th century BC by the nomadic Scythian people and was discovered by the Russian archaeologist Sergei Rudenko in a Scythian burial mound in the late 1940s.
The rug itself was probably a funereal item and could well have been woven for that specific purpose and so was probably never used. The grave was that of a prince and so the rug itself would probably have been of the highest standard that was available at the time.
The rug itself was probably a funereal item and could well have been woven for that specific purpose and so was probably never used. The grave was that of a prince and so the rug itself would probably have been of the highest standard that was available at the time.
The rug is nearly symmetrical in shape with the length being slightly longer than the width, the actual measurements of the rug being 2m x 1.83m. The design is made up of concentric squares separated by various borders. The central panel is made up of what is assumed to be symbols that represent the sun. This is surrounded by a border of winged griffins, which is then in turn surrounded by another border filled with antlered deer. There is then a small border of abstract floral motifs, which is then followed by a border of horses being alternately led and ridden by their riders. This border has the horses travelling in the opposite direction to that of the earlier antlered deer. There is then a final border of winged griffins, which then completes the rug.
Like many traditional carpets and indeed many forms of textile, symbolism is abundant and can often be either misinterpreted or misunderstood. For example, the griffins are often thought to represent some form of guardian whether in life or the after life, while stags can represent wisdom and long life. However, we will probably never fully understand the symbolism involved within the pattern of the rug.
Illustration: The Pazyryk rug, close-up, c500bc.
Interestingly, the rug itself was preserved due to the grave being robbed at some point in the past. Because the seal of the grave was opened, moisture got into the grave goods and the rug was frozen into a solid ball of ice, thus preserving it until its rediscovery by Sergei Rudenko.
The discovery of the Pazyryk rug caused a sensation at the time and has changed our perception of the history of woven rug design. It had long been thought that early rugs and carpets would have been fairly primitive in both construction and design, so it came as a surprise to find a rug over 2500 years old that had this level of sophistication and finish. It was also discovered that the rug was constructed using the traditional Turkish knotting system, which strongly implies that the nomadic Turkish tribes who occupied central Asia two millennia ago, share an unbroken tradition of rug making with that of more modern traditions.
The discovery of the Pazyryk rug caused a sensation at the time and has changed our perception of the history of woven rug design. It had long been thought that early rugs and carpets would have been fairly primitive in both construction and design, so it came as a surprise to find a rug over 2500 years old that had this level of sophistication and finish. It was also discovered that the rug was constructed using the traditional Turkish knotting system, which strongly implies that the nomadic Turkish tribes who occupied central Asia two millennia ago, share an unbroken tradition of rug making with that of more modern traditions.
The sophistication of the Pazyryk rug informs us that a high level of design and construction had been achieved by the 5th century BC. It would have taken generations to achieve this level, which implies that this level of rug making must go back much further than the 5th century.
The rug itself is now housed and fully displayed at the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg. There are also good reproductions of the original design that are available to buy. The best one that I have come across can be found online at The Magic Carpet, an image of which is shown below. It gives a good indication of the high standard that was achieved by the makers of the original Pazyryk rug.
The rug itself is now housed and fully displayed at the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg. There are also good reproductions of the original design that are available to buy. The best one that I have come across can be found online at The Magic Carpet, an image of which is shown below. It gives a good indication of the high standard that was achieved by the makers of the original Pazyryk rug.
Illustration: The Pazyryk rug. The Magic Carpet, Nevada City, California.
Further reading links:
Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg
The Magic Carpet
The pazyryk: A 2500 years old knotted rug found in an icegrave in the Altai, its uses and origin
Frozen Tombs of Siberia: The Pazyryk Burials of Iron-Age Horsemen
Archaeological Collections of the Hermitage: Pazyryk Burials, Egyptian Collection of the Hermitage Museum, Pereshchepina Treasure, Kul-Oba
Kurgans: Pazyryk Burials, Kurgan, Noin-Ula Kurgans, Mamayev Kurgan, Merheleva Ridge, Kul-Oba, Thracian Tomb of Aleksandrovo Kurgan, Black Grave
Scythians: Anacharsis, Pazyryk Burials, Indo-Scythians, Kharahostes, Apracaraja Indravarman's Silver Reliquary, Tocharians, Saka, Kamuia
Costume and Textiles Pazyryks Altai. / Kostyum i textil pazyryktsev Altaya.
The Pazyryk felt screen and the barbarian captivity of Ts'ai Wên Chi
Ancient Horsemen Of Siberia (Time Travelers)
14 comments:
How interesting that this is a case where grave robbers actually helped to preserve something rather than destroy or deface it. What a beautiful rug.
Amazing. The sophistication of the imagery really astounds.
I agree with balsamfir, such incredible attention to detail, in design, pattern and scale. An incredible textile of great sophistication and beauty.
Fascinating! Thank you so mucyh for this... I'd never heard of this rug. It's truly gorgeous.
Plus I have to admit, I love it when assumptions of how the earlier peoples must have been so "primitive" and low skilled get knocked out like that!
Interesting, tell us more, especially what you know about ancient felted domestic items.
Cheers Jan
This is a case where handmade reproductions are very welcome. I adore nomadic textiles; the balance and asymmetry of the patterns, the irregularities brought about by traditional dyestuff can be an inspiration for even very different kinds of textile design today. I like the new orientation of your posts too!
Thanks for all your comments concerning the Pazyryk rug. I have always been fascinated by this piece, partly because of its age and partly because of its connection with nomadic peoples.
The posting was a guide to me in order to see whether there was interest in the subject, there obviously is, so I will continue to post articles on ancient and nomadic textiles over the coming weeks and months.
dang. makes you wonder about all the textiles that haven't survived.
i just found an old sheet at an estate sale. 3 pieces of linen, i think, sewed together by hand. hand seemed on the sides. cutout embroidery. it has spots, but hell, it needs to be saved.
i love ethnic rugs, tho i pimp them for my blog.
Historical textiles are notorious for being so thin on the ground compared to other everday objects. Obviously that has much to do with their fragility, but if we all create a stash then there's hope! :-)
Yes, please, let's have more on this topic! And this is a stunning and particularly sophisticated carpet. Primitive is such a funny word - these days, most moderns are so de-skilled that I'm sure our ability to make our own crafts and household tools are primitive by comparison.
I remember when I was at college being offered a year placement in Botswana, teaching local people crafts. That kind of threw me, what could I teach the people of Botswana about crafts? I would love to have gone, but didn't feel qualified. I probably would have learnt a lot more than I could have offered.
I love this rug. I am in the trade and can supply modern woven versions of this rug. I always make a point of telling customers the history surrounding it.
Truely an amazing find. I'm part of a re-enactment group (SCA) and have been researching the nomads of the Eurasian Steppes for several years, but had never run across this rug. Thanks so much for sharing!
I had no idea there was a re-enactment group dealing with the nomadic tribes of Europe and Asia. It sounds fascinating and I am glad that I could be of some help to you.
Post a Comment