Beautiful Antique 18th century Spanish Alpujarra Rug / bedcover Alpujarra rugs or bed covers, produced in the Alpujarra mountains south of Granada on the Iberian Peninsula, Alpujarra rugs were consistently woven between the 16th and the 19th centuries. Alpujarras were woven on narrow beam looms in two or three pieces then stitched together- you can see that this one was woven in three pieces.
These distinct carpets are among the more intriguing styles to have been developed in Europe. Featuring strong colouring and traditional motifs these antique rugs or bed covers, are particular to their region, the historical eccentricities of which are largely responsible for the distinct and immediately recognizable Aplujarra style.
The Folk Art quality is highlighted by their coarsely woven texture and their limited use of colours. Often Alpujarra rugs are stylized in two tones and with a separate woven fringe. Sometimes these long fringes were up to twenty centimetres long stitched on four edges in alternate colours from the main colours of the rug.
Weavers often used only two colours and some variations can include up to ten. Colours include turquoise, indigo, various shades of blue, yellow, a golden honey colour, white, black, cherry red, tomato red, deep yellow, cream, saffron yellow, lime green, and red.
