More than Just a Rug Photos Carolyn Wright
M
ohamed Sassila, owner of Silk Road Collections, grew up in northern Syria, which used to be the home of one of the largest population of weavers in the world. “Since I opened my eyes for the first time, I’ve seen rugs. It’s a part of my culture,” he says. His deep passion and understanding of weavings is evident upon stepping into his store. In addition to the Ulla Darni hand painted glass artwork, piles of ornate rugs and gorgeous tapestries line the walls and floor in every direction. And the most fascinating part? Each rug has its own unique history.
Many of Sassila’s rugs are over 100 years old. He describes how they were made: “The weaver sat in front of the loom and tied individual knots by hand. Each weaving might range from 100 to 1,000 knots per square inch, with the higher number of knots being a determinant of quality.” He points out a rug that is 200 years old, made in the 1800s for the royal family by the Armenians during the Turkish Empire. On the longevity of such rugs, Sassila notes, “With old handwoven rugs, you have to remember they’re made completely out of wool from sheep, and thus will eventually disintegrate. You won’t find complete rugs older than 400 or 500 years old in the whole world,
much less in my shop. You might find a remnant or a part, but there’s a limit how long it can last unless it’s preserved in a sealed container in a museum.” These old rugs are vibrant in color; one would never suspect they were woven well over a century ago. Sassila explains, “With natural dyes from herbs done correctly, it’s impossible for the rugs to fade or bleed. Synthetic dyes nowadays are easier, cheaper and more convenient but the quality of the coloring is not the same. It’s impossible for herbal dyes to fade, but they will oxidize with time. Oxidization is different from fading though. With exposure to the air, the
Mohamed Sassila
colors will change evenly, getting darker or softer dependent on the dye. Indigo gets darker while red gets softer. It’s a reaction the dye has to the air, but to see a clear shift it will take at least 40 years.” Rug after rug he pulls out, all lush with deep hues and intricate designs, all made in the 1800s. Though Sassila notes it’s hard to find rugs of this caliber in good condition, his shop boasts hundreds. Some of his finer rugs in fact have real gold and silver threaded into the knots. “This is a dying art,” Sassila states. “The new generation wants to get out
in the world, not sit down for months or years to weave a rug. With up to 1,000 knots per square inch, a single rug is made of millions of individually tied knots.” Perhaps then the real value of Sassila’s rugs lie not in their coloring, design or even age, but simply in the fact they exist.
Silk Road Collections 112 W. San Francisco St. #110 505.989.9497 www.SilkRoadCollections.com