About Tibetan and Nepalese Rugs

The historical origins of Tibetan rugs are unclear. It is believed that the art of rug weaving in this Himalayan region is part of an ages old tradition practiced primarily for use in the home.

Originally rugs were produced for mats, door covers, bed covers and pillar rugs which were placed around columns in Buddhist monasteries. Traditional Tibetan weavings generally reflect the influence of the Buddhist religion in Tibetan culture and art.

Following political unrest, in Tibet in 1959, thousands of Tibetans fled Tibet as refugees and settled in neighboring countries.

Rug production began again in Tibetan refugee camps primarily in Pokhara and the Kathmandu valley of Nepal. By the mid 1970's rugs woven by Tibetans in exile were being exported to Europe in small quantities. During the 1980's Tibetan/Nepalese rugs began to receive increasing attention in the United States.