Berber carpet

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Berber carpets are a style of carpet containing big and small tufts. They use a cut pile construction type, and usually contain small flecks of dark color on lighter shade background colors.

Contents

[edit] Name Meaning

The term "berber" stands for any type of carpeting with more than two colors. Berber can be loop, cutpile, frieze, and others.

[edit] History

The origin of Berber carpets date back to the Paleolithic era and were made by Berbers in North Africa. The hand spun cloth they created was named for the tribe, and they used natural fibers to create cloaks, rugs, and other fabrics. [1][2]

[edit] Modern berber carpet

Today there are several types of berber carpet made from a range of materials. Nylon, olefin, and wool are the most common materials, and the size of loops and cut pile varies for each manufacturer. Olefin is the most commonly used and most affordable material, and carpets with blends of the different materials are also available.[3]

Berber carpet is highly durable and often found in offices, schools, and other high traffic areas. It is stain resistant as well, and is more affordable than thicker plush carpets. The downside is that it can be difficult to clean if dirt does get lodged in the fibers, and it may need dry cleaning or specialized service for deep cleaning.[4]

[edit] In popular culture

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The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

Frasier Crane owns a prized berber carpet in his apartment in the sitcom Frasier.

Carl of Aqua Teen Hunger Force is given a sample of berber carpet to eat by his father in a flashback induced by the Ghost of Christmas Past from the Future.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Moroccan (Berber) carpets article on the history of Moroccan Berber carpets, by Gebhart Blazek. This text has originallly been published as a catalogue contribution to the exhibition "Moroccan Charm - Art of the Berber Tribes, The G. Blazek Collection of Carpets and Textiles and the I. Grammet Collection of Jewellery", held from July 2005 until April 2006 at the L. A. Mayer Museum for Islamic Art , Jerusalem, Israel.
  2. ^ WHITE GIANTS. Beni Ouarain article on cream ground Moroccan Berber carpets from the region of the Beni Ouarain in the northern Middle Atlas mountains, by Gebhart Blazek.
  3. ^ http://homeimprovement.lovetoknow.com/Berber_Carpeting Berber Carpeting at LoveToKnow Home Improvement
  4. ^ Ibid.

[edit] Bibliography

  • (French) Barbatti, Bruno; Tapis Berbères du Maroc, la Symbolique - Origines et significations; ISBN 2-86770-180-5
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