founding of the Mogul dynasty by Baber early
in the 16th century. The designs mainly derived from those of Persian
carpets of that period do not as a rule rise to the excellence of their
prototypes. Historical centres of Indian carpet making are in Kashmir,
the Punjab and Sind, and at Agra, Mirzapur, Jubbulpore, Warangal in the
Deccan, Malabar and Masulipatam. Velvets are richly embroidered in gold
and silver thread at Benares and Murshidabad and used as ceremonial
carpets, and silk pile carpets are made at Tanjore and Salem. For the
most part the best of the Indian woollen pile carpets have been produced
by workers of repute engaged by princes, great nobles and wealthy
persons to carry on the craft in their dwellings and palaces. These
groups of highly skilled workers as part of the household staff were
paid fixed salaries, but they were also allowed to execute private
orders. During the 19th century the carpet industry was developed in
government gaols. Produced in great quantities the prison-made carpets
as a rule are less well turned out, and the competition, set up between
them and the rugs and carpets of private factories has had a somewhat
detrimental effect upon the industry generally. Older in origin than the
cut pile carpets are those of thinner and flat surface texture, which
from almost immemorial times have been woven in cotton with blue and
white or blue and red stripes in the simplest way. These are called
_daris_ and _satranjis_, and are made chiefly in Benares and northern
India. They are also made in the south and by such aborigines retaining
primitive habits as the Todas of the Nilgiri Hills, a fact which points
to the age of this particular method of making ground or floor
coverings.

Condition controlling designs of Oriental Carpets.

A condition that has always controlled the designs of Oriental carpets
is their rectangular shape, more often oblong than square. As a rule,
there is a well-schemed border, enclosing the main portion or field over
which the details of the pattern are symmetrically distributed. Simpler
patterns in the field of a carpet or rug consist of repetitions of the
same device or of a small number of different devices (see Plate II.
fig. 4). Richer patterns display more organic pattern in the
construction, of which the leading and continuous features are expressed
as diversified bands, scrolls and curved stems; amongst these latter are
very varied devices which play either