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Tibetan
The distinguishing
characteristics of Tibetan rugs are their vivid colors, huge
and few motifs, and relatively plain and dominant backgrounds.
The background colors are usually blue, black, red, orange,
and less frequently yellow or ivory. The motifs are woven in red, orange,
pink, yellow, beige, blue, green and white. The designs are
strongly influenced by Chinese
and East Turkestan styles and
can either be geometric or curvilinear.
The different types of rugs include the medallions,
the flower and rosettes, the mythological animal and birds,
the geometrical designs, and the rugs used in monasteries
for ceremonial purposes.
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medallion rugs come in one or three centerpiece medallions
and have multiple borders. The different types of medallions
include the square shapes surrounded with leaves and flowers,
the round medallions with flowers inside, the flower medallions
which are almost always lotus or peony, and the animals
such as the Manchurian crane, snow-lion, dragons and phoenix
inside a round medallion. |
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The
flower and rosette designs consist of 2 or 3 large
flowers similar to a multi-medallion, or many large flowers in an all-over layout. The
all-over layouts are sometimes without borders in an endless
repeat. The flowers include the lotus, the peony, and
the chrysanthemum.
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mythological animal and bird designs include the dragon,
the phoenix, the white Manchurian crane, the bat and the
bee. Sometimes they come in a medallion layout as mentioned
above and sometimes in an all-over layout. Usually there
are no more than four of the above shapes in one rug. |
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The
geometric designs, which are less frequently seen, come
in a panelled all-over layout with flat-looking flowers
inside either square or diamond cells.
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Rugs used in monasteries
for ceremonial and ritual purposes are usually smaller
and predominantly use the colors orange or red. One
example of such a rug is the tiger rug used by high-ranking
monks as a seat. However, the more realistic tiger designs
are intended for everyday use.
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Today, Tibet is
annexed to China, and it is located in southwest of China. It
is bordered on the south by Nepal, Bhutan and Burma, and on
the west by India. Because Tibet has a cold climate and its
inhabitants largely live a nomadic life producing very good
wool, it is a well-suited environment for the use of rugs.
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