Unit 1: Tapestries, laces and carpets
History of World Textiles notes · PTU syllabus (BSTD 403-20)
Unit summary
Tapestries, laces and carpets are among the most prized textiles of world history. This unit covers their historical references, origins, regions, techniques and colour and design features.
After this unit you can
- Trace the history of tapestry weaving
- Describe major lace types and techniques
- Describe world carpet traditions
- Compare their design features
PTU syllabus topics
- References found in history
- origin
- location
- techniques and colour/design features of tapestries
- laces and carpets across world regions
Tapestry
Bayeux Tapestry (embroidered), Gobelins
Weft-faced weaving with discontinuous wefts
Lace
Venetian needle lace, Bruges bobbin lace
Needle or bobbin openwork
Carpets
Persian, Turkish
Hand-knotted pile (asymmetrical and symmetrical knots)
Topic 1
Tapestries
- Tapestry: weft-faced weave in which coloured wefts are woven only where needed (discontinuous weft) to create pictures; the warp is hidden.
Coptic (Egypt, 3rd–12th century)
Linen warp, wool weft; slit tapestry
Medallions, figures, vine scrolls in bands on tunics
Medieval European (France, Flanders)
Large wall hangings on high-warp (haute-lisse) and low-warp (basse-lisse) looms
Bayeux Tapestry (actually embroidery), Apocalypse of Angers, The Lady and the Unicorn — millefleurs backgrounds
Gobelins (Paris, 17th century)
Royal manufactory under Louis XIV
Painterly scenes, many colours
Aubusson (France)
Lower-warp tapestries and carpets
Floral and pastoral themes
Navajo (America) and kilims (Near East)
Upright looms; slit and interlocked tapestry
Bold geometric designs
Topic 2
Laces
- Lace: an openwork fabric of yarn looped, twisted or knotted to form patterns, developed in 16th-century Italy and Flanders.
Needle lace
Made with a needle and thread using buttonhole stitches on a pattern
Venetian point (gros point), Alençon, Brussels point
Bobbin (pillow) lace
Threads wound on bobbins twisted and crossed on a pillow with pins
Bruges, Mechelen, Valenciennes, Chantilly (black silk), Honiton
Machine lace
Leavers and Raschel machines (19th century onward)
Nottingham lace; modern lingerie lace
Other laces
Crochet, tatting, knotted (macramé), filet
Irish crochet lace
- Indian lace: Narsapur crochet lace (Andhra Pradesh, GI tag).
Topic 3
Carpets
- Pile carpets are made by knotting short lengths of yarn around warps; flat-weaves (kilims, durries) have no pile.
Pazyryk carpet (Siberia, about 5th century BCE)
Oldest surviving knotted pile carpet; symmetrical knots
Deer and horsemen borders
Persian (Iran)
Asymmetrical (Persian, Senneh) knot; city workshops — Tabriz, Kashan, Isfahan
Medallions, floral arabesques, garden designs, Ardabil carpet
Turkish (Anatolian)
Symmetrical (Turkish, Ghiordes) knot
Geometric, prayer rugs, Holbein and Lotto patterns
Caucasian
Symmetrical knot; village production
Bold geometric motifs, bright colours
Chinese
Asymmetrical knot; thick pile
Blue and white, dragons, Buddhist symbols
Indian (Mughal)
Persian knot with very high density
Naturalistic flowers, animals, hunting scenes
- Knot density (knots per square inch) indicates fineness and value.
Key terms
- Tapestry
- Weft-faced weave with discontinuous coloured wefts
- Needle lace
- Lace made with a needle and buttonhole stitches
- Bobbin lace
- Lace made by twisting threads on bobbins
- Symmetrical knot
- Turkish (Ghiordes) carpet knot
- Kilim
- Flat-woven tapestry rug
Quick revision
- Coptic, medieval, Gobelins, Aubusson, Navajo tapestries.
- Needle, bobbin, machine and other laces; Narsapur lace.
- Pazyryk, Persian, Turkish, Caucasian, Chinese, Mughal carpets; knots and density.
Important exam questions
Practice questions written to the PTU exam pattern for this unit's syllabus: short answers (Section A style) and long answers (Sections B and C style).
Short-answer questions
- Q1.What is a tapestry weave?
- Q2.What were Coptic textiles?
- Q3.Distinguish needle lace and bobbin lace.
- Q4.Name two famous lace-making centres.
- Q5.What is the oldest surviving pile carpet?
- Q6.Distinguish symmetrical and asymmetrical knots.
Long-answer questions
- Q1.Describe the history and features of world tapestries.
- Q2.Describe the types and centres of lace.
- Q3.Compare the carpet traditions of Persia, Turkey, China and India.
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