A Brief History of Rugs and Carpets
Rugs and carpets have a rich history, only part of which is known. Ancient rugs are very rare because the earliest rugs were made of organic fibers. Organic fibers disintegrate speedily over time, thus preservation over thousands of years is extremely rare. What we do know is that the art of weaving is very old and dates back thousands of years.
Weaving began with rough, simple mats and baskets made of grasses, reeds, leaves, and other natural materials.
The first true ?rugs' were probably rough cured skins used as floor coverings in the homes of early hunters. With tough, flexible backing and generally soft material (called ?pile'), these rugs served to keep the home more warm and insulated.
There is evidence for weaving and the existence of rugs in ancient Mesopotamia and Turkey as far back as 7000 and 8000 B.C.E., and in Egypt (wool and cotton) as early as the third millennium B.C.E. Mongolia and China were also main players in the textile industry, and nomadic herders and Chinese weavers were among the first to develop and weave wool rugs.
Weaving developed in many other parts of the world in addition to Europe, including parts of the Americas as far back as 5500 B.C.E. Weavers began to use natural colors and gradually transitioned to using vegetable, flower, and insect materials.
Silk development in China, the ornate, intricate embroidery and designs of Turkey and Mongolia, and the development of more sophisticated looms and weaving techniques throughout the world lifted rug-making from necessity to art form.
Italian merchants first brought oriental rugs to Europe, where they were used as wall hangings and coverings.
By 1600, France had developed a dominant weaver's guild, and England wasn't far behind. The 1700's marked England's emergence into the weaving industry, and by about 1830, a good portion of the wool produced in England was used for carpets.
Various machines were created to aid the process of weaving, and looms have become so sophisticated today that they run off of computer algorithms. Rugs were not widely available in the US and Europe until the onset of mass production and the invention of industrial grade machines.
The first steam-powered loom appeared in 1787, and by 1876, the invention of the Axminster loom, a machine that permitted unlimited use of color and design, boosted the production of carpets. The advent of synthetic fibers and tufted carpet (carpet manufactured by the insertion of tufts of yarn through a carpet-backing fabric) made mass production and purchase of carpets easier, faster, and less expensive.
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white-hots and Chef Hoboken Eddie offer the tastiest holiday gifts in America for the hotdog gourmets on your list (at www.white-hots.com)
Rochester, New York (ContentDesk) November, 2003 ? white-hots, inc. announces that just in time for the holidays, the Company in association with Chef Hoboken Eddie is offering a fun and festive array of artistically crafted gift baskets at www.white-hots.com featuring Zweigle's and Hoboken Eddie's sauces,
Zweigle's Summer sausage and various other delicacies that may be purchased separately or with a selection of the best hotdogs on Planet Earth.
Whether you want to delight someone special with a gift they'll never forget, or need to impress the most discriminating corporate clientele on your list, this year gift giving is easy.
Beginning December 2, visit www.white-hots.com and click on "holiday gifts".
Then, be prepared to make somebody very happy! Company president, Nicholas Capanna...
Baskets > white-hots and Chef Hoboken Eddie offer the tastiest holiday gifts in America for the hotdog gourmets on your list (at www.white-hots.com)
Houston Area Internet Business Connects Families During Easter
Houston, TX (ContentDesk) March 26, 2004 -- As families across the country become increasingly separated, a local business uses the Internet to connect children, parents, grandparents, and other extended family members during Easter. According to Shannon Rubio, owner of TheSmileBox.Com, Easter is the Houston area company's third busiest gift-giving holiday, falling only behind Christmas and running almost even with Valentines Day.When Rubio started TheSmileBox, an internet company that specializes in goody filled gift boxes that arrive in bright yellow packages, she was prepared for the traditional holidays in December and February. But only four months after the business opened in January of 2000, the company was scrambling for requests for Easter packages and products - an idea the company had never even considered. Five years later, TheSmileBox staff prepares well in advance for the deluge of grandparents, military families, aunts, uncles, and divorced parents who want to send Easter...
Houston Area Internet Business Connects Families During Easter
Baskets > Houston Area Internet Business Connects Families During Easter
Introducing The Birth OF Babycakes By ZenMomma: A Natural Line Of Bath And Body Products For The Soft And Sensitive Mother and Child
Jessica Wolfe is the original ZenMomma. Speaking to a new generation of healthy mothers, ZenMomma confides, "My beautiful baby boy was allergic to everything from dairy to the adhesive on a bandage and all the lotion and body wash in the middle". Inspired by love for her son Lawson, nicknamed "BabyCakes" a new line of natural products was born. Baby Cakes by ZenMomma is a line of bath and body products tailor made with natural ingredients to gently nurture your baby as you do, with love and care. Comprised of essential oils, herbal extracts and key vitamins, these wonderful shampoos, lotions and creams leave a shine as lovely as your baby's glow.
Whether it's for bathing, healing or just a lot of fun, these products cultivate an air of delight for both Mom and Tot.The baby beauty salon is open and the little one is in charge. Baby Cakes Shampoo has a fragrance that kids love and will gently clean their hair and scalp. After bathing, use Baby Cakes Lotion to moisturize and soothe...
Introducing The Birth OF Babycakes By ZenMomma: A Natural Line Of Bath And Body Products For The Soft And Sensitive Mother and Child
Baskets > Introducing The Birth OF Babycakes By ZenMomma: A Natural Line Of Bath And Body Products For The Soft And Sensitive Mother and Child
How to Make a Gift Basket Like a Pro!
Gift Baskets make great gifts for every occasion; they are fun to give and fun to receive! Have you ever wondered how to make a beautiful, professional looking Gift Basket? Well, you are about to learn how!Since you have probably already decided who you are giving the gift basket to, and for what occasion, then the first step is to write down a list of your recipient's interests. By making a list like this, you can decide what kind of theme your gift basket will have, and what kind of gift items you will include. Does your recipient like cooking, gardening, reading, golfing, fishing? Is the gift basket intended for a specific occasion such as the birth of a new baby, or a particular holiday? The answer to these questions is where you will begin to make your own gift basket.Pick a container. You can use a traditional basket as your container, or you may want to use something entirely different. If you are making a gardening gift basket, why not choose a clay pot, or if you are making...
How to Make a Gift Basket Like a Pro!
Baskets > How to Make a Gift Basket Like a Pro!