To the south of the great rug artisans of Russia and north of the renowned weavers of Persia sits a legendary tradition of Caucasian carpet art. Regarded as the earliest weavers of Oriental rugs, Armenians called their woven cloth creations "karpet" which is believed to be the root of "carpet". Caucasian rugs have had countless admirers including Marco Polo and Herodotus and continue to attract an impressive following today.

Typical Armenian rugs blend geometric fields, medallions and motifs, creating exquisite patterns. A recurring design element is the cross, inspired by Armenia's history as the first nation to adopt Christianity. Other popular symbols include human figures and geometric bird and animal forms, all unique to rugs woven in Armenia. These carpets are as finely textured as Armenia's terrain with colors inspired by the earth, stones, vineyards, hillside orchards and ruby red sunsets.

Widely traded across the region, these rugs' distinctive patterns were often copied by less skilled weavers. But authentic Armenian rugs are unique and easily identified by the superb quality of their dyes, distinct color of their warps and superior durability of their wool.