Moroccan Carpets

These woven treasures are a representation of centuries of exquisite artistry and meticulous craftsmanship. Moroccan carpets are famous for the quality of wool,cotton and silk used in there weaving.
And for their striking colors produced by natural dyes. In Moroccan design, the use of color is critical, and this infusion
begins with intensely hued dye.
Dying wool is an art form and today’s weavers continue to use ancient methods expertly. They still make an orange
from henna, an indigo blue, a madder red, and a natural green; the yellow comes from a locally available plant, whereas
the black wool is undyed as it comes from black-haired goats indigenous to the region.
The weaver then begins a painstaking job that will take months, if not years, to complete a single carpet. Using their
design in their minds as a complete reference, the weaver uses a loom to build the rug from thousands, oftentimes
millions, of individually tied knots. The work, time, detail, and tradition that goes into making carpets provides each one
with a personality all its own.
The value of a carpet is based not only on the intricacy of the design but also on its age, the number of knots, and the
strength of the wool. Rural rugs are identified by region, then by tribe. Their most vivid characteristic is their vibrant colors
combined with stylized motifs inspired by ancient symbols or strong imaginations. Berber carpets are the most famous.
They usually are handmade with naturally dyed wool in colors ranging from bright and cheerful to faded. Fez carpets,
though the most expensive, are of excellent quality. They have intricate patterns and are very densely knotted.
Hand-woven pile carpets from the Taznaght tribe of the High Atlas Mountains in the south of Morocco are characterized
by rich, warm colors. The rugs of this region are known for the high quality of their wool, recognizable from its high sheen
and its softness. These rugs show very high quality weaving and design techniques.
The Zemmour tribes, known for their beautifully detailed weavings, are settled in the area South of Meknes, and they are
one of the largest producers of textiles among the Middle Atlas Berbers. As these tribes live in a warmer climate, their
textiles are more like blankets than rugs


The terms carpet and rug are sometimes used interchangeably. Rug generally means a textile floor covering that is not greater than 2 square meters. A carpet therefore being anything bigger.