EDUTAINMENT
The Art of Traditional Tibetan Carpets
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Tibetan carpets are unique works of art that date back to hundreds of years of tradition and history. The craftsmanship and production techniques of this traditional art are incomparable. Traditional Tibetan carpets, including those produced today, are of the highest quality in terms of the regional materials used in production, as well as in terms of the rich language of symbols that are embedded in rich colors with great artistic care. Since Tibet has fallen under Chinese control the tradition of Tibetan carpet making is carried on by the so-called Tibetan-Nepalese in exile.
A Long Tradition
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It is nearly impossible to identify the origins of this craft in Tibet. The manufacture and processing of wool in Tibet, however, can be traced back to the 4th century B.C. Tibetan carpets have various traditional uses that are rooted from the traditional lifestyles of nomadic tribes.
The nomadic tribes of Tibet trek at the higher altitudes through the cold and rocky mountainous regions of the Himalayas with their horses. They therefore need carpets on which to sleep, warm blankets, saddles for the horses, and covers for the ground in their tents, etc. The Tibetan carpet is still used today as a bedding layer, seat cushion and saddle cover. But they are now also be hung on walls in wealthier homes as decorations. The nomads lived in an isolated area and relied on their own skills and ingenuity, from which emerged the uniquely Tibetan carpetmaking techniques that have been refined over centuries. Today, Tibetan carpets are sold worldwide and highly valued.
High Quality Materials
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Traditional Tibetan carpets are made from regional raw materials and resources,from dyes to wool. The highly elastic wool of the highland sheep has long threads and a sturdy fibrous structure. It also contains uncommonly more lanolin or wool fat and natural wool wax that, using gentle processing methods, remains preserved in the material. These natural preservatives give Tibetan carpets their durability and longevity and actually naturally accentuate the colors of the carpet with age. Aging and visual appearance, however, are unreliable means of identifying authentic traditional Tibetan carpets since today's artificially produced and synthetic threads can duplicate this coloring. Sometimes the wool threads are also mixed with silk, so that the carpets shine more and it produces an unusual lighting effect on the surface.
Everything about the traditional Tibetan carpet is handmade, including the weaving of the wool. Traditionally, pigments used to dye the wool were extracted from regional vegetation. The natural pigments were first boiled in copper bowls and then applied to the wool. Although vegetation in the highlands was not lush, traditional Tibetan carpet weavers achieved many different nuances of blues, reds, pinks, oranges, yellows, browns and greens. Whites grays and blacks are natural colors of wool. It was not until the end of the 19th cenutry that aniline colors began to spread gradually reaching Tibet via India.
Unique Weaving Techniques
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In contrast to other central Asian weaving techniques, traditional Tibetan carpets are made using vertical weaving looms. The threads used in the crosspattern that makes up the base layer of the carpet are of high quality multi-threaded cotton yarn. These threads are also typically doubled making the base layer thicker and ensuring its fastness and durability. In the carpets there are usually 7 to 10 knots per square centimeter, which normally yields a tuft strength of 1 to 1.5 cm - or a weight of 4-6kg per square meter.
Tibetian carpet weavers also use rods like large needles to guide rows of threaded nooses through the vertical loom. Because rods are not used in other carpet making processes, the texture of a traditional Tibetan carpet is unique. When a row is completely through, the individual nooses are cut. In newer production processes, they may not be cut in order to create special color effects. Tibetan carpet makers also often pass doubleknots through the tufts, giving the carpets unusual thickness and elasticity. Shorter threads can be used to create color contours or outlines.
Traditional Motifs
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With few exceptions, the area of a Tibetan carpet is split into different Zones: borders, corners, central image area and medaillons. The individual motifs have favorite or preferred spots on the carpet - but is not always the case. So animals as well as figurative representations appear in a "scene," or also stylized the floral arrangements accompany. Iconographically all elements found on Tibetan carpets belong to the symbolic tradition of Tibet, on the one hand with all other arts in connection, on the other hand religious and culture of tibet.
The key to understanding the visual elements is buddhist religion, which is important not only in Tibet but China, India, and Mongolia as well. Floral patterns consist of the eight auspicious symbols, the 8 chinese ground - as well as undying symbols or the four symbols for skills in knowledge and discipline and success.
The six signs of a long life are: old man, a crane, pines, rocks, waterfall and the unicorn (later deer). Alongside these are symbol-laden flowers and fruits as well as various natural elements like clouds, mountains, oceans and fire.
These elements are usually stylised or abstracted in patterns. There are however also other representations sometimes scenes with animals or mythic scenes. Often there are also dragons, cranes, field mice or bees. All these however have symbolic contexts.
Tibetan Carpets today
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After the Chinese seizure of Tibet in 1959, the production of traditional Tibetan carpets was distrupted. But it was not lost and by 1965 Tibetan carpets began to appear again, but outside of Tibet in Nepal. Today, the Tibetan-Nepalese weave carpets in exile no longer for traditional uses like saddles but rather for export.
Over the last years there are some attempts to revitalize carpet production also in Chinese occupied Tibet. Center of these activities is the city of Gangtse. However the volume of carpet production is only a small fraction compared to Nepal.
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