SOUTHERN SPAIN, 18TH CENTURY

Alpujarra is a region in the Sierra Nevada renowned for the weaving of loop pile carpets. It is thought that carpet weaving in the area first started with the Moors, who settled in Alpujarra after the fall of Grenada in 1492, although we are unaware of any surviving carpets from this early period. The carpets of Alpujarra are distinctive not only for their looped pile but also for their construction, being woven in strips on narrow looms which would then be joined together. The emphasis on the use of green, often combined with red and yellow, harks back to their Moorish heritage and their bold designs often include motifs of flora and fauna typical of the region (C. Bateman Faraday, European and American Carpets and Rugs, Michigan, 1929, p. 57).