Styles of Silk Carpet

According to their colors and designs, carpets can be classified in different styles. In the following we will discuss briefly the most famous styles. Many styles are used both in their original places and other areas of the world. For example, in China you can find carpets in the Persian style.
 

For centuries, Persian carpets have been known as genuine works of art, creating a unique atmosphere and representing a valuable investment. The rich colors, diverse designs and their symbolisms, the superior skills of weavers and their unique imagination all combine to form a treasure of timeless beauty. And it has many sub-styles worldwide.

Animal designs are frequently used on Persian carpets. The beasts and birds of prey, such as lions and falcons indicate courage, victory and glory; herons symbolize long life, and hawks mean victory. The rooster is woven as a guard protecting its owner from evil. The peacock appears a lot with the same meaning as in the mythology in oriental culture being a sacred bird. Camels mean happiness and wealth. The frequent appearance of the Tree of Life means eternal life; the Cyprus tree symbolizes survival in the after-life; pomegranates bring abundance. There are many other designs, such as a comb meaning cleanliness, a sword standing for supreme power, etc.

The Persian weavers paid great attention to using natural dyes, which could still be brilliant after hundreds of years of use. Colors also have their symbolisms. White means peace and purity; blue, tranquility and peace; red great joy, happiness and success; yellow symbolizes rich and glory; orange, devotion and pink, piety, etc.
 

China also has a long history in carpet making. Chinese carpets are always of great value and Chinese weavers are thought to be some of the best ones in the world. Many museums treasure their Chinese carpets, especially their antique carpets in their exhibition rooms.

The designs on Chinese carpets usually stand alone and have exact meanings and they are symbolic rather than decorative. The symbols of Buddhism and Taoism are quite often seen, such as a swastika () or a Yin and Yang picture. Some religious symbols can also be seen: lotus flowers symbolize holy and pure; clouds mean auspicious. You also can find many animal designs on carpets: dragons, which are a symbol of great power; phoenixes indicate immortality; bats are named after the Chinese character Bian Fu . The character Shou is quite often used, meaning longevity and the character Fu is less common, meaning good fortune.

The colors quite often used are red, white, blue, beige, yellow and black. Red indicates great joy and happiness; yellow symbolizes royalty; meaning longevity and the character Fu is less common,white means mourning and death; blue means immortality, black and other dark colors denote solitude.

There are several sub-styles existing in Tibet, Xinjiang, Beijing and Qinghai and some other areas.
 

Like all oriental carpets, Turkish carpets can also be considered as cultural items. Their designs and patterns are not created at random but represent the origins and culture of the society. Each design is meaningful.

Many designs can tell the status of the weaver. For example, Hair Band expresses the yearning of a young woman to get married because girls will keep their hair uncut until they get married. A Ying and Yang design signifies that the weaver is married as well as love and unity. The design Hands on Hips is only shown when the weaver has given birth to a boy. The hands on hips show that she is very proud.

Some of the most common designs are Tree of Life, which means long life; the ram horn which symbolizes power, fertility and heroism; an eye or evil eye is used to keep evil away; a flying bird denotes good news; birds of prey represent strength and power. From early times, people believed that they could control dangerous animals or protect themselves from them by weaving part of them on carpets, so you can see many designs like a wolf's paw, a crocodile's tooth, a dried snake or scorpion on carpets, and this belief is still in practice today in many places.
 

In the past, Indian weavers used similar designs as Iranians did. Commonly used designs were small floral designs, such as plants, rosettes and leaves, spreading all over the carpet, and often the same design appeared repeatedly. Designs on borders were quite similar to those on the background. In India today, you can also find carpets of Persian sub-styles, Chinese style and other styles.

Maroon was the primary color, and besides it, light and dark green and burnt orange were quite popular, too. Natural dyes fade quickly with exposure to light and water, so nowadays they have been replaced by colorfast chrome dyes.