Carpet facts for kids
A carpet is a special kind of woven fabric, usually shaped like a rectangle. People use carpets to make rooms look nicer and feel more comfortable. They also help make walking quieter. Carpets are much warmer and softer than hard floors like wood, tile, or concrete.
Carpets can be many different sizes. The idea of carpets started in Central Asia. But machines for making carpets were first invented in Europe. The oldest carpet ever found was discovered in Siberia in 1947. This means there are two main types: those made by hand using old traditions, and those made by machines. This is why hand-made rugs often look very different and cost a lot more than modern machine-made carpets.
The word "carpet" comes from an old Italian word, carpita. This word means "to pluck." The term "carpet" usually describes a fabric that covers the whole floor, often from wall to wall.
Rugs are smaller than carpets. They are often placed on top of a larger carpet or on a bare floor. Rugs are usually decorated with beautiful designs. In some parts of the world, like in Islam, rugs are used as prayer mats. People kneel on them when they pray.
Why Do People Use Carpets?
In places like the Middle East, rugs and carpets are often hung on walls as decorations. They are made with special designs just for this purpose. In Western countries, most machine-made carpets are for everyday use on the floor. They are usually one solid color and made to be very strong. Hand-made rugs from the Middle East can be very expensive when they are sold in other countries.
Some carpets are designed to tell stories. They can show the history of a family or important events that have happened.
Images for kids
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One of the famous Ardabil Carpets
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A small rug
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A Turkish woolen carpet
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A carpet seller in Jaipur, India
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A modern carpet showing a camel caravan on the Silk Road
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A toranj medallion, a common design in Persian carpets
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A traditional rug being woven on a carpet loom
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Samples of tufted carpet
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Carpets drying in a village workshop at the Ourika Valley, Morocco
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A wool carpet
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A Tree of Life pattern on a carpet
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The Carpet Seller by Giulio Rosati
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An Oushak (Usak) carpet from the late 1800s
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The largest hand-woven carpet in the world at the Turkmen Carpet Museum in Ashgabat
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A tapestry from GDR celebrating 20 years of the Fighting Group of the Working Class
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A 16th-century Alcaraz rug at the Nazmiyal collection
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A machine used to cut and re-roll carpet lengths
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Jean-Léon Gérôme - The Carpet Merchant
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An 18th century Savonnerie tapestry at the Palace of Versailles
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A Savonnerie loom
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A mythical magic carpet
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The Carpet Seller, a Royal Doulton figurine
See also
In Spanish: Tapete para niños
