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)
