CHAPTER IX CHINESE AXD BOKHARA RUGS Most things Oriental are mysterious, especially Oriental rugs. Not luitil the publication of the great Vienna book, of which Sir C. Purdon Clarke was the English editor, did order begin to be evolved from the chaos of Oriental rug classification. Since then many popular books have been published on the su])ject, some of which shoidd have been suppressed, as they only multiplied the confusion already existing. Among the volumes in English that deserve serious consideration are those by Mr. Mumford, Mr. Hawley and Dr. Lewis. As
America is concerned, Mr. Mumford, blazed the path along Mr. Ilawley's book is especially to be commended for its painstaking marslialling of facts and details, and for its line illustrations of motifs and borders. Among the Eurojseans who have done most to increase knowledge about Oriental rugs are Dr. Martin, Dr. Bode and INIr. Vincent Robinson. far as
which others have followed.
In studying Oriental rugs, one should begin with the great divisions. One shoidd learn to distinguish Chinese rugs from Bokhara rugs; Caucasian rugs from Turkish rugs; Persian rugs from those made in India. After that, it is time enough to begin to separate the different \ arieties of Caucasian from each other, Dagbcstans, for example, from Cabistans; or in the Turkish group, Ghiordes rugs from Kidahs or in the Persian group, Fereghans from Kirmans. In this chapter I shall confine myself to the Chinese group and ;
to the Bokhara group.
Chinese rugs have an especially distinctive cliaracter. is
The weave
so loose and coarse, the colours so pale and delicate, with all strong
reds absent, and with blues and yellows pi'cdominating.
The designs,
with few exceptions, are of native Chinese origin, found also in Chinese silks, porcelains and other Chinese works of art. However, until the last quarter of the nineteenth century, Eurojie