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ABOUT MOROCCAN RUGS AND TEXTILES
Genuine Moroccan Berber carpets are becoming rare : since the middle of the 20th century nomadic life in Morocco has been on the wane, and production of wool is declining. During the same period, though, Berber culture has come to world attention, and gorgeous, authentic Berber carpets have been ever more in demand.
We specialise in one-off carpets woven by Berber women mostly for their own use. They are full of the life, charm and originality that can only be found in authentic tribal carpets and rugs. The best tribal carpets are individual and draw on the weaver's own experiences, traditions and personal life.
Tribal weaving is one of Morocco’s oldest traditions, and grew from the skills of Berber settlers who have lived in the Atlas mountains for many thousands of years.
Moroccan tribal rugs differ greatly by region and tribe. But what unites them is the creative and archaic spirit of tribal art and language of rural symbols and motifs. Old tribal carpets can be spontaneous and bold. Some are very plain, others full of complex motifs; some are colourful while other feature soft, subtle hues.
Modernist architects and designers such as Alvar Aalto, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Ray and Charles Eames used Moroccan tribal carpets to contrast with the clean and often hard lines of 20th century interiors. They are perfect for modern interiors.
Authentic rural carpets were made for personal use, to be used as bedding as well as floor coverings - mostly made by women for their own families. In the cold mountains they were woven with a long, thick pile and in the warmer areas in the south they feature a finer weave and a shorter pile.
Irregularities are common and unmatched patterns were often created on purpose. Colour, symbols and a sumptuous earthy aura mark out authentic Moroccan tribal carpets.
Because old pieces are now so hard to find, co-operatives have sprung up to supply the market with copies, and reproductions now abound. These can be attractive but cannot replicate the creativity and originality of an old piece, created with care for personal use.
Certain tribes favour certain colours. Natural dyes are usually only found in items over 70-80 years old – almond leaves, cochineal, indigo, iron sulphate and cow urine were all used. Both synthetic and natural dyes fade - with older rugs you can be sure that most of the fading has already occurred. Properly used, synthetic dyes can produce just as wonderful results as poorly used natural pigments.
Tribal weaving was almost always undertaken by women, although male master weavers were active in certain tribes.
Textiles were valuable family items, many woven as wedding pieces. In poorer families they were looked after carefully as precious possessions. A good weaving served as a source of pride and brought respect to the weaver.
The "language" of Moroccan Berber weaving is some of the most complex in the world of textiles. Often when a woman wove a rug it wasn’t just for her: it also served as a means of communication of sorts to be read by those closest to her. Weavings contain important thoughts and ideas. More often than not symbols make reference to the natural world, to fertility, birth, femininity, rural life and to nature as well as to spirituality and beliefs. Many weavers believed that rugs had powers to ward off evil.
Enjoy and care for your Moroccan tribal rug - it is a thing of beauty.
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