<p style="color: #66666e;">Welcome to Serafian's new informational series, “Rugs of the World”! We think hand woven carpets are some of the most fascinating, beautiful things a person can learn about, and our goal is to share our knowledge of this extensive subject with you. Being able to recognize a rug and know its origins and worth is incredibly rewarding, and we would love for you to know your rugs!</p>
<p style="color: #66666e;">We're starting with the beautiful and tribal Bokhara. Often referred to as Turkoman, after the region of Afghanistan from which they come, Bokhara is one of the most popular and common Oriental rug designs seen in the United States. The design originated with the Turkoman tribes in Northern Afghanistan and Southern Turkmenistan. There are 23 different Turkoman tribes, and each tribe has its own unique signature design.</p>
<p style="color: #66666e;">The predominant design feature of a Bokhara carpet is the gul (flower). This is the repeating eight-sided medallion seen in the field of the rug. Each tribe has different designs that it uses in the gul. This is how we identify where true Turkoman carpets were woven. This design is also called “the elephant's footprint”, for obvious reasons! Typically found in deep, rich, and dark colors, such as red, black, and gold, Bokhara add warmth and luxury to any living space. Because of their geometric patterns and typically dark colors, Bokhara are considered both masculine and modern. The rugs shown here are woven between 75 and 150 knots per square inch, and have been one of the most popular mainstays in American homes for many years.</p>
<p style="color: #66666e;"><a href="http://www.serafians.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/816356.png"><img class="aligncenter  wp-image-46" src="http://www.serafians.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/816356.png" alt="816356" width="356" height="633" /></a></p>