The Tuareg of the Sahara and Their Movable Mats

The Tuareg of the Sahara and Their Movable Mats

In the Sahara in North Africa, a tribe sometimes called the blue people exist, a nod to their striking and elegant indigo head wrappings. The Tuareg tribe of Sahara are nomadic pastoralists who have long been considered desert warriors. In their culture, the men, not the women, are veiled with indigo wrappings that protect themselves against the harsh sun and climates.

The Tuareg Tribe

The Tuareg are descendants of the Indigenous Berber people who are not only warriors but also traders. They have long controlled the routes in and out of the Sahara, including Morocco, Mali, Mauretania, Niger, and Southern Algeria. In short, they have a hand in the trading system in this region. 

The Tuareg has a rich and sophisticated culture that spans from traditions of sublime poetry, dance, song, and incredible visual works made by their artisans. The Tuareg’s particular caste of artisans creates mats from reed and leather, combining intricate motifs and forms of North African Islamic art and pre-Islamic art indigenous to North Africa.

Another visual art the Tuareg excels at is metalworking–jewelry that reveals elaborate pectoral pendants that have once been the inspiration for Hermes scarves featuring the Tuareg ornament. 

The Tuareg Mats

The Tuareg mats that the tribe’s special artisans create are at the heart of every nomadic tent. Often, they also form movable walls. In Tuareg culture, women have exceptionally high status and independence. They are considered owners of the mats and tents that serve as the tribe’s communal space. And since the Tuareg are nomads, the mats are very lightweight and movable.

Tuareg mats are a symbol of a dying way of life. When they were made in the early 20th century, the Tuareg mats were designed to support a nomadic lifestyle, during which endless caravans moved through North Africa. As the Tuareg moved, they rolled up their homes built, covered, and furnished with the mats, primarily made with reeds, palm, and camel or goat leather, then stitched with designs.

The Tuareg Mat in Modern Design

Because of the intricate visual designs and remarkable craftsmanship of Tuareg mats, they have been a popular choice for interior designers in the modern age. The naturalness of the mats adds texture to a room as well as interest. 

Tuareg mats can be used as a base for pots, stools, tables, or baskets. Their natural yet sophisticated look gives the furniture a bold look that isn’t heavy on the eyes. You can place these mats around your home in different designs to give it a classy appearance.

These mats also make good doormats decorated with salted lamps and stone baskets. They give a highly classy look that guests are sure to notice as they step into your home. 

You can layer our neutral vintage mats to give them a softer yet improved style. Moreover, you can also lay Tuareg mats along your entryways.

The Tuareg mat also makes a good decor piece when combined with antique, plants, and stone-filled baskets. They also look great against monochromatic wall paintings or with Egyptian wall art hangings. They surely bring an unsolicited charm to your home.

Conclusion

The Nomadic lifestyle with which the Tuareg mat was born may now be disappearing. However, the craftsmanship and culture behind the intricate patterns of the Tuareg mat are very much alive. In the modern age, they are celebrated in the Sahara and anywhere in the world that features this beautiful mat.

Atlas Weavers is a fair trade artisan project supplying premier authentic Moroccan decorative rugs worldwide. We believe that language is the essence of one’s ethnicity, and the Tuareg speak and communicate their identity through their mats. 

We provide a wide selection of prestigious Berber rugs, including the Tuareg mat. As the descendent of an artisan weaver, we aim to reveal the intricate craftsmanship of woven rags from the Sahara and show it to the world. If you also want to revel in this cultural heritage, get in touch with us!

source https://atlasweavers.com/blogs/news/the-tuareg-of-the-sahara-and-their-movable-mats

Rug Shopping Guide: 3 Important Qualities to Consider to Get the Best One

Different furnishings can enhance your home’s decor, but choosing the right area rug for other nooks in your living space can do wonders for complementing your style. Beyond adding a visually interesting element to the room with a rug’s dynamic textiles, the best area rug can also boost the functionality of your room by providing comfort, creating fashionable interior breaks, and influencing the overall atmosphere. 

The impact of an area rug can make positive changes to your home in the most illustrative ways, but not all rugs can leave a positive touch on your abode. Different designs, thicknesses, textures, and colors can make or mar your interior’s style; that’s why we’re here to give some tips on how to spot the best, highest quality rugs so you can shop for the perfect one! 

How to Shop for High-Quality Artisan Area Rugs 

 

Tip #1: Consider the Knot Density 

A beautiful rug will be useless if it can withstand foot traffic and break apart in the seams after a short period. With that in mind, it’s crucial to determine the quality of the rug by looking at the density of its knots. A good rule of thumb is to look at the underside of the rug and ensure it has at least 290 knots per square inch, which means they’re significantly denser and longer-lasting. 

Low-quality rugs can come loose over time, but a high knot density can take a beating and still look far from frayed for years to come. High-quality rugs also feel heavier and should be firm to the touch, so if you press on the surface and see your fingers sinking, it’s best to set your sights elsewhere. 

Tip #2: Consider the Patterns 

Rugs look eye-catching thanks to their beautiful patterns, but not all rugs can have as many intricate details as authentic Moroccan rugs, for instance. Only talented hands and experts in their trade can create heavily patterned rugs, so the more details in every weave, the more precious it will be over time. 

Tip #3: Consider the Materials 

The biggest quality you need to look for when shopping for rugs is the material it uses, so it’s only natural that top-tier materials would boost the rug’s value in more ways than one. So when looking around for the best rugs that can pack as much panache while being practical for long-term use, natural materials like wool, silk, seagrass, or even jute are some of the most renowned materials that promote durability.

The Bottom Line: Identifying Well-Crafted, Long-Lasting, and Visually Appealing Artisan Rugs 

An area rug may seem stunning at first glance, but it’s important to see beyond the seams and consider whether the quality is as good as it looks. 

Why Shop for Authentic Moroccan Rugs at Atlas Weavers?

Are you looking for the highest quality rugs for your home? Atlas Weavers offer various designs and sizes of beautiful and bonafide Moroccan, Azilal, Boucherouite, and Ben Ourain rugs in our online shop. Our team is committed to delivering wonderful, long-lasting textiles while upholding traditions. Check out our selection of rugs today!

source https://atlasweavers.com/blogs/news/rug-shopping-guide-3-important-qualities-to-consider-to-get-the-best-one

Understanding the Weaving Traditions of Moroccan Tribal Rugs

Understanding the Weaving Traditions of Moroccan Tribal Rugs

Rugs have always been a part of almost every home, but most of the time, people take them for granted. But if there’s a piece of rug that deserves your attention, there’s no other choice than Moroccan rugs. You’ve probably heard of them before, but fine Moroccan woven rugs are perfect for giving warmth to your home and offering impressive appeal to almost any room. But what exactly makes these rugs so desirable, and how exactly are they made?

What is a Moroccan Style Rug?

In essence, Moroccan rugs refer to textile floor coverings woven by Morocco’s indigenous traditional people. Its primary material is wool, making it incredibly soft, comfy, and comes with high piles. 

The unique orderly patterns of authentic Moroccan rugs and relaxing colors make it different from just about any other type of rug out there. Moroccan rugs range from graphically dense to monochrome, incorporating bright, saturated shades as well as natural, muted tones.

 If we are to truly appreciate the culture and artistic value of Moroccan rugs, we need to examine the major elements that make them unique. We can start by looking at the most popular tribal weaving traditions.

Bold Tribal Patterns

Those bold geometric designs you see on Moroccan rugs are reminiscent of the many rural regions of the country, from the Atlas Mountains all the way to the Sahara. In the Azilal region, however, you’ll find the most sought-after, heavily decorated carpets. Azilal rugs depict images of ancestral myths into their textiles using archaic images and symbols. This is due to the fact that they lack a written language, which forced Berber weavers to weave a reflection of their culture into their rugs.

Azilal rugs are known to have unique and intricate patterns made using bold colors. Interestingly, neutral-toned versions have also been made by the locals. In fact, they are more traditionally tribal than the more popular rugs with a red ground.

Brilliant Color Saturation

While Moroccan rugs are known for their magnificent patterns, they’re not all that. Some of the most striking pieces Moroccan style rugs are actually monochrome. While they may look simple enough, they make up for it through the use of brilliant colors and subtle variations. Authentic Moroccan rugs use traditional dyes that are sourced from local vegetation or minerals.

Boucherouite Rugs

Boucherouite Rugs are distinct in that there is little distinction between them. They are often mislabeled as Boujad in the marketplace because it’s nearly impossible to distinguish the tribal variations between them. 

The creation of Boucherouite is quite interesting in the sense that wool isn’t used to make them. Women in Morocco use yarn rugs from recycled carpets as well as other recycled materials like lurex, nylon, and even plastic from grain shopping bags. This is because of the transition from nomadic herding to modern forms of employment, which is the reason why wool became harder to come by. The locals needed to be resourceful and produced intricately woven rugs made from practically just about any material lying around.

Conclusion

Moroccan rugs carry a lot of history and culture with every piece made. It’s interesting to know how these rugs are made and how the people carry their culture and beliefs with every string and fabric they weave into these art pieces.

Atlas Weavers is a premier supplier of Moroccan decorative rugs. Every piece we carry is authentic, unique, and is of exceptional quality. By offering these wonderful pieces of art and textile creations, we preserve centuries-old traditions from our community. Order authentic Moroccan woven rugs from our store today.

source https://atlasweavers.com/blogs/news/understanding-the-weaving-traditions-of-moroccan-tribal-rugs

How to Mix & Match Patterns and Colors for Your Rugs

When you wish to redesign your home’s interior because you recently realized you want your living room, bedroom, or any area in the house to look new, you could focus on buying rugs. However, take note that it won’t be easy to pick the perfect design, regardless of whether you love owning timeless pieces or going with the latest trends.

 

 

Each piece of furniture you acquire must go well with each other, but that doesn’t mean you have to stick to one design, pattern, and color the whole time. You can get creative and choose to mix and match pieces, all while evaluating if they can form a seamless interior design for your home.

 

Using rugs is a fun way to improve your home’s design. You can obtain rugs in various colors, designs, and shapes, so it can be tricky to match them up, especially if they’re Moroccan rugs. Keep reading below to find out ways to coordinate rugs to improve your personal space.

 

On Plain and Patterned Designs

 

If you have a neutral space, an easy way to enhance it is to add a patterned Moroccan woven rug to brighten it up and add life to an otherwise dull part of your house. Often, homes with walls painted with monochrome colors are easier to design because you can place various furniture and rugs with aesthetic styles and patterns well, and they won’t look out of place.

 

When selecting a rug, no matter the design you get, it instantly becomes the focal point of the room, attracting your guests to look at it the moment they step into the space. But if you had your walls painted a different color, while you can still opt for a patterned rug, you should have it within a similar color range or shade to preserve the monochromatic vibe.

 

On Primary and Accent Tones

 

Color plays a fundamental role in picking out the interior design of your space, specifically primary and accent colors. In fact, it plays a vital role in selecting the style of the Moroccan-woven rug you wish to purchase for your home.

 

Unfortunately, some rugs only go well when they are paired with specific colors, so the primary and accent colors involved in your room may not look aesthetically pleasing with them. Instead, the rug you select should have the primary or accent color of the color scheme of your room. Although the rug has a distinct design, so long as its color matches, you won’t have a problem.

 

On Big and Small Patterns

 

Mixing rugs with different patterns is a tough one because not all designs go together, so you must be more careful about your selections when redecorating your space. However, once you come up with suitable rugs, the results can speak for themselves.

 

For example, you want to consider getting vintage Moroccan Azilal rugs and atlas Berber rugs. One rule you should follow is getting them in different sizes, which means one should be bigger than the other. If a piece has bold and loud colors and patterns, the other should be the opposite and have less striking and minimal designs.

 

Conclusion

 

It’s exciting to shop for Moroccan runner rugs and figure out what goes well with your home. To guarantee the way you mix and match the colors and patterns works effectively, you should consider several points. Looking back at the tips above for pairing plain and patterned designs, primary and accent tones, and big and small patterns is necessary. That way, all your efforts won’t go to waste, and your home will look more beautiful than ever. 

 

Are you looking to purchase authentic Moroccan rugs for your home? Atlas Weavers is a premier supplier of authentic Moroccan decorative rugs. Browse through our catalog to discover what’s in store for you!

source https://atlasweavers.com/blogs/news/how-to-mix-match-patterns-and-colors-for-your-rugs