Samarkand antique rugs are known for their fusion of several different cultures and rug styles. These rugs come from East Turkestan oasis towns, which sits at the intersection of Chinese and Turkish culture. These rugs typically feature Chinese yellows and red colors popular in Turkey. Traders carried these long and narrow rugs along the silk road beginning in the early 17th Century.

The rugs showcase themes from several oriental cultures. They borrow the fretwork borders and lotus blossoms from China, Persian floral trellis work, and Turkeys bold borders and carnations. The goal of the weaver was to give everyone along the silk road something that they could identify within the rug’s design.

The spacious designs, the combination of influences, and the use of glossy wool with brocaded silk and metal thread embellishments make these rugs unique and valuable.