Taznakht rugs are a distinctive style of handwoven rug hailing from the Taznakht region nestled in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco.
In the rugged, mountainous terrain in the foothills of the High Atlas Mountains, the Ouarzazate region where Taznakht rugs are made, stretches across dramatic ridges and valleys, with peaks that soar past 14,000 feet. The area is home to diverse landscapes, ranging from desert plains, semi-arid zones, to oases and valleys.
Just a few decades ago, the Taznakht rug meant little to anyone outside the country, if not the region. However, to those who know, the Moroccan rug now refers to a craft that preserves cultural heritage, supports a vast community of weavers, and demonstrates excellent craftsmanship-thanks to the large part of weaving cooperatives.
Hailing from the distant reaches of Morocco's High Atlas, the use of the loom distinguishes the region's textiles from the rest of the Moroccan weaving tradition.
Key characteristics of Taznakht rugs:
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- Origin: Taznakht region in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco.
- Material: Premium natural wool, hand-dyed with natural dyes sourced from nature.
- Weaving: Woven on traditional Moroccan looms.
- Design: Distinctive tribal-influenced motifs, geometric patterns, and vibrant colors.
- Symbolism: Symbols representing money, power, gender, status, age, and other qualities.
Taznakht rugs are woven on traditional Moroccan looms, an uncomplicated device yet highly effective. These looms consist of nothing more than a sturdy wooden frame with two horizontal beams to hold the warp threads in place. The warp is stretched tightly across the frame, and tension is maintained by adjusting the position of the beams. A couple of hand tools are also used to manipulate the warp and weave the rug.
Tribes and Their Unique Designs
Taznakht has three main tribes: Aït Ouaouzguit, Aït Semgane, and Aït Zineb. Each tribe has its unique set of designs that can represent money, power, gender, status, age, and other qualities of the wearer. These symbols give the Taznakht weavers an endless source of artistic inspiration.
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These Moroccan rugs for sale are inspired by everything dwelling in nature, a staple of the Taznakht region, which has been reinterpreted and translated into new contexts and textures. For decades, Taznakht women have used their looms to weave Taznakht rugs. However, cooperatives, like our partners, have transformed their lives, whether by providing additional revenue for their children's education or simply covering everyday needs.
Founded to empower rural women weavers and deliver their handmade rugs to the world, the cooperative manages the weaving process while we purchase the necessary materials, allowing the weavers to focus on their work. We are also ensuring the weavers a consistent and healthy income, providing them the option to pursue weaving professionally.
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Our objective is and will always be to maintain the art of handmade Taznakht rugs and other Moroccan rugs while supporting the rural women who weave them. Premium natural wool is dyed by hand with natural dyes sourced from all over nature. The complex designs seen in the Taznakht rug will complete any modern or Boho space and will stay in-style for a really long time (If well maintained).
Design Elements and Motifs
Stacked lozenges, diamond medallions and ancient protection symbols used to combat the evil eye are prominently featured across the field of vibrantly colored vintage Moroccan rugs, which highlights design elements preferred by the Moroccan weavers of vintage rugs.
Horizontal bands decorated with checkered got symbols and staggered Bargello stripes subtly frame the central medallion, which is in turn flanked by a group of checkered bands and towering stacked lozenges.
Created circa 1950, this vintage rug features colorfully striped flat-woven ends and distinctive tribal-influenced motifs rendered in a bold combination of ivory, saffron yellow and Kelly green set over a tomato red field.
Each rug is a one of a kind masterpiece, as these women do not have a specific design to follow, they get creative by adding meaningful symbols and sometimes they even add Amazighen letters to enhance the story they are telling in their rugs, a story that is known only by the women who made them. Taznakht rugs are more than just rugs, they are history being told by pure Amazighen craftspeople.
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