Carpet

Carpet (connected with Latin carpere, in the sense of carding wool), any woven fabric used for covering the floor of a room. The most ancient carpets certainly known are Persian, although some have thought that Assyrian carpets have been found. The Persian carpet is generally of a very thick pile, and one kind - felted - is of camel's hair. Next in general esteem are Indian carpets, of which the more ancient kind - made of wool - are said to have been copied from Persia, while a later kind of cotton are manufactured chiefly in Bengal and Northern India. Cashmere is almost as noted for its carpets as for its shawls. The Turkey carpet, which also has a pile, is mostly manufactured at Smyrna and neighbouring parts of Asia Minor. Of European carpets those of Axminster, Wilton, and Beauvais formerly had a great reputation. Kidderminster, which was the first place to produce machine-made carpets, makes them of 2 or 3 ply. The Union Kidderminster is of cotton and worsted. The Brussels carpet is of worsted upon a groundwork of linen. It may be of 6, 5, 4, or 3 frame, and has a velvet pile. There is also what is called the Tapestry Carpet. The Patent Axminster is of chenille upon a strong backing. One variety is called the Royal Axminster. Carpets are also made of jute. Though the generality of carpets are of sufficient size to cover a room, there is a growing custom of covering only the centre or small portion of a room, and to meet the demand a sort of rug or carpet is now being largely manufactured which does not differ much in size from the sleeping or praying-carpet of the East.