Carpets From Afghanistan

Etymology
The term "Carpet" derives from Old Italian carpita, "carpire" meaning to pluck. The term "carpet" is used interchangeably with the term "rug." But, they are not the same thing. A carpet stretches from wall-to-wall while a rug does not. Only with the opening of trade routes in the 17th century were significant numbers of Persian rugs introduced to Western Europe. Historically the word was also used for table and wall coverings, as carpets were not commonly used on the floor in European interiors until the 18th century.