Knotted

The artisan handmade Azilal knotted rugs are yet another sample of the endless creativity of the Berber mind. They are mainly woven in the the Moroccan province of Azilal, a mountainous region that lies between the High and Middle Atlas range. Among the Berber groups inhabiting that area we may cite the Aït bou Oulli, the Aït Bouguemez or the Aït Sokhmane. Sheep wool is used for the pile, warp and weft but in the last decades some other materials have been introduced. They are knotted using a symmetrical knot on two warps though sometimes the so-called Berber knot is used as well. The are usually medium-piled. In any case the outcome is always spectacular, and exceedingly decorative. 

The handmade artisan knotted rugs from the Valley of the Ourika to the south of the imperial city of Marrakech and on the northern slopes of Moroccan High Atlas are particularly appealing. They are meant as true decoration pieces to cover the floor. They use the symmetrical knot, undyed natural wool and fragments of other textiles of vivid colors (cotton threads, etc) for the knots and, often, for the making of the warp and weft. Those latter materials with the bright colours contribute to the awesome final result that recalls modern pieces of abstract art. However, the decorative motifs are a tribute to the ancient, vast and rich Berber iconography and simbology such as the use of the lozenge as a reference to the woman's womb and to the eye as a powerful means to ward-off evil, of the zig-zag line as a masculine element. True pieces of ethnic art.

The artisan handmade Azilal knotted rugs are yet another sample of the endless creativity of the Berber mind. They are mainly woven in the the Moroccan province of Azilal, a mountainous region that lies between the High and Middle Atlas range. Among the Berber groups inhabiting that area we may cite the Aït bou Oulli, the Aït Bouguemez or the Aït Sokhmane. Sheep wool is used for the pile, warp and weft but in the last decades some other materials have been introduced. They are knotted using a symmetrical knot on two warps though sometimes the so-called Berber knot is used as well. The are usually medium-piled. In broad lines three main types of Azilal carpets can be described. The first one is the classical  one. Natural undyed white or cream wool is employed for the backgroung whilst natural undyed brown, black wool or, eventually some other color, is used for the decoration. The second type main characteristic is the deep red wool background where the decoration, either geommetrical or abstract, may show a fairly wide range of colors. This model is found among the Aït Bouzid and some experts see there influences from urban carpets from the city of Rabat. The third model appeared around the mid-1980's and its main feature is the use, together with natural or dyed wool, of a broader range of textile materials such as synthetic dyed yarns, reused fibers, etc. In any case the outcome is always spectacular, and exceedingly decorative.    

The artisan handmade Azilal knotted rugs are yet another sample of Berber endless creativity. They are mainly woven in the the Moroccan province of Azilal, a mountainous region that lies between the High and Middle Atlas range. Among the Berber groups inhabiting that area we may cite the Aït bou Oulli, the Aït Bouguemez or the Aït Sokhmane. Sheep wool is used for the pile, warp and weft but in the last decades some other materials have been introduced. They are knotted using a symmetrical knot on two warps though sometimes the so-called Berber knot is used as well. The are usually medium-piled. In broad lines three main types of Azilal carpets can be described. The first one is the classical  one. Natural undyed white or cream wool is employed for the backgroung whilst natural undyed brown, black wool or, eventually some other color, is used for the decoration. The second type main characteristic is the deep red wool background where the decoration, either geommetrical or abstract, may show a fairly wide range of colors. This model is found among the Aït Bouzid and some experts see there influences from urban carpets from the city of Rabat. The third model appeared around the mid-1980's and its main feature is the use, together with natural or dyed wool, of a broader range of textile materials such as synthetic dyed yarns, reused fibers, etc. In any case the outcome is always spectacular, and exceedingly decorative.