Posted on June 8, 2021 by Behnam Rugs

The Pazyryk Rug: The Oldest Rug in the World

Discovered in 1949 in a nobleman’s grave in Kazakhstan, the Pazyryk Rug is considered to be the oldest rug in the world. Scholars credit grave robbers for exposing the grave and leaving it open to the elements, which is what caused the rug to be frozen in ice. The ice it froze in allowed it to remain well-preserved for thousands of years. Radiocarbon testing revealed the rug to be approximately 2500 years old. To give you an idea of just how long the ice preserved the rug for, the second oldest rug in the world, the Ardabil Rug, is approximately 490 years old.

The grave the rug was found in belonged to a Scythian nobleman and was located in the Altai Mountains. The Pazyryk Rug was one of many prized possessions that the nobleman was buried with. It was one of the only items the grave robbers left behind. The hole they made allowed precipitation to enter the grave and freeze due to low temperatures.

The wool rug was woven using the Ghiordes (or Turkish) knot. We break down the different types of rug knots in this blog. The Pazyryk Rug has a knot count higher than some modern rugs today at 232 knots per square inch (KPSI). In fact, the advanced nature of the Pazyryk rug’s construction technique suggests that rug weaving may be an older art form than previously thought.

The rug features deer and riders on horseback along its borders, with square geometric patterns in the center.

The deer, or elk featured on the border of the rug are especially noteworthy for the level of detail. Each elk features internal organs including a heart, aorta, intestines, and vertebrae.

Origins of the Pazyryk Rug

Scholars cannot agree as to whether the rug has Turkish, Armenian, Persian, Siberian, or other Eastern origins. The two locations considered most likely to be the country of origin of the Pazyryk Rug are Persia and Armenia. The group least likely to have produced the rug are the nomadic Pazyryks themselves due to the sophistication of the rug’s design. The Pazyryk Valley sat between trade routes that went as far as China, Iran, and Russia. A mummy was even found in the area wearing an Indian silk tunic.

The Pazyryk Rug is renowned by scholars and rug lovers across the world for its intricacy and beauty. The rug is a testament to the celebrated history of Oriental and Persian rug weaving. The Pazyryk rug can be viewed in person at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Learn more about the history of valuable Persian rugs in this blog post.