Tibetan carpets can very well be called as synonyms for highly valued and liked specimens of floor coverings in the world. Tibet as world’s highly located area is responsible for spread of skillfully made handmade carpets and rugs by Tibetan fugitives and refugees living in Nepal and adjacent countries.
The art belongs to the ethnic groups of Tibetan nomads who kept sheep and goats. They wandered between the meadows to rear their sheep and to sell their wool. The Tibetan weavers wove carpets that were inspired greatly from Chinese and Eastern Turkestan patterns. These were also used as daily usage articles in places like monasteries, homes, etc. Usually smaller in size, they are a favorite amongst people.
Since the advent of the 18th century, Tibetan carpets have been weaved with traditional designs like folk motifs, tiger motifs, checkerboard designs, etc. Each motif holds a significance of its own. In addition, colors too, have their own importance and function within Tibetan culture. Orange and gold is kept for religious ceremonies. Authorities always represented dominance and power with tiger strips. Maroon shade was favored as a usual for domestic floor coverings.
Tibetan knotting is a continuous knotting situation where the technique matches loops around warps forward and backward. After the Chinese accession over their lands, the Tibetans fled to other neighboring areas, therein enriching the particular locale’s artwork, with their weaving, in exile.
Tibetans consider their rugs and carpets very auspicious. They believe that such articles in their homes and environments help creating a sacred environment and fill up their days and nights with positive energy. With colors of good fortune, Tibetan weavers still weave their carpets with an aesthetic mode.