Discover the history and secrets of the Berber carpet

The carpet is a beautiful element of decoration. It can be plain or multicolored, sober or rich in patterns. The choice is infinite, if we consider the possible variations: material of confection, color, size, thickness. Moreover, the carpet can be installed without difficulty in any room of the house. It brings softness, warmth and comfort. When it is a Berber carpet made of wool or cotton, it is even better. Various Berber carpets are available, all as beautiful as stylish. The most famous are of Moroccan origin.

THE BERBER CARPET, FROM A RICH AND GENEROUS CULTURE

The manufacture of Berber carpets is the result of a particular way of life, that of the nomadic tribes. The Berbers define themselves as free men, noble men or Imazighen. In the singular, the Berber is called an Amazigh. Several tribes are gathered under this designation, the region of the Atlas being rather vast for this travelling people.

The women were in charge of several activities, among them weaving. Each family's possessions included tents and carpets, which the women made. They also wove the clothes and all the family linen. From this itinerant life, with camps set up along the way, the know-how developed. The use of sheep's wool made it possible to make long-haired carpets, soft and fluffy. This minimal comfort is essential for lying or sitting on the ground. The use of dyes of vegetable origin allowed to create beautiful patterns adorning the carpet.

Other ways of making rugs are also known, using cotton, or rope, and recycling fabric scraps. The result is simply beautiful, opening up vast horizons for the world of travel. Today, several tribes derive their income from Berber carpet making.

THE WONDERFUL DIVERSITY OF BERBER CARPETS

In addition to the colors, the length of the wool threads, the technique of confection are also diversified. The carpets bear the name of their region and their tribe of origin. Each one has its own method of manufacture.

Beni Ouarain, Azilal, Boucherouite and Kilim carpets

• The Beni Ouaraincarpet comes from the region of the same name, located in the Middle Atlas. Beni Ouarain designates 17 tribes of this region, which have become sedentary. They practice agriculture and breeding of Marmoucha sheep. The women make the Berber carpet with the wool of these sheep. The whiteness of this wool characterizes the Beni Ouarain carpets, with long and thick hair. Very large diamond patterns, woven with black wool, decorate these carpets.

• The Azilal carpet comes from the High Atlas, it is made by the weavers of the Azilal tribe. It has a white background also, stained with geometric lines of bright colors. This carpet is less smooth than the Beni Ouarain.

• The Boucherouite carpet is a return to thickness and colors. Made with scraps of cotton fabric, it offers the softness of the Berber carpet and the bright colors of patchwork.

• The Kilim carpet offers softness and thickness. It is also rich in color, with diamond patterns.

The techniques and materials of confection

Berber weavers use weaving techniques passed down from generation to generation.

The basic manufacturing process includes the preparation of the wool (washing, cutting), the laying of threads on the loom, the actual weaving, which consists of tying each strand one by one. The carpet is then washed for the final finishing touches. Kilim making includes a flat weaving technique, instead of knotting the wool threads.

Beni Ouarain and Azilal are essentially made of wool. Cotton is used in the weaving of Berber carpets, notably for the Boucherouite carpets. Sometimes cotton is also used to introduce color into Beni Ouarain or Azilal carpets. Boucherouite carpets include the weaving of pieces of fabric, made of cotton and of various colors.

Rugs are everywhere. Obviously, they are part of the contemporary lifestyle. Decorative, useful, simply beautiful and soft to live upon, rugs can also be placed outside, on the terrace, or in the grass, during a picnic. With Berber rugs, you can practice all these activities.