Omani Jebel handwoven rug

Mountain villagers in villages high on Jebel Shams (10,089 feet) weave Omani rugs using yarn dyed with the red dye from the roots of madder, Rubia Tinctoria, traces of which were found in Tutankhamun's tomb. The yarn is made from goat and sheep hair. Collection of enough for a small rug could take almost forty days for making the yarn. Men do the weaving on a simple, two-beam wooden loom set up on the ground. I have also seen these being used above pits, with the weaver below the loom, in the Sharqiyah region. Each weaving family can produce ten to twelve small rugs a year. Strenuous attempts are being made to ensure the craft does not die out, led by the Omani Heritage Gallery, whose owner acts as an outlet for the sale of these beautiful traditional rugs. Ours were bought over a period of years from the same family, high on the upper slopes of Jebel Shams.