Oriental Rugs Glossary

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Pakistan

Pakistan was declared an independent state through the "Independence Act" of August 14, 1947 by which the India of the Muslims has been seperated from the India of the Hindus. Pakistan's West is bordering on Iran und Afghanistan, its North on Afghanistan and India (Kashmir), its East on India and its South on the Arabische Sea. In 712 Islam came into the area of Pakistan. In the 11th century Lahore became a significant Islamic center. Under the Moguls Akbar, his grandson Jahangir and Jahangir's art-loving wife Nur-Jahan (meaning "Light of the World) Lahore gained further cultural and economic importance. Nur-Jahan was mainly responsible for the accruement and the development of the carpet culture and production. Inspired by the Indo-Persian carpet culture an independent style has emerged: the "Mogul-Rugs". Also in the South of the country, in Karachi and Peshavar, high quality rugs have been made. Despite Pakistan's introduction of the decimal system in 1976 it is still common to measure the fineness of Pakistani rugs in knots per inch. Pakistani rugs are mostly made with the Persian Senneh knot. Altogether one can say about Pakistani rugs that they are often being underrated in their quality and that the value for money is often better than with Persian rugs.