Taznakht rugs also called Ait Ouaouzguite rugs, come from the region between Ouarzazate and Taznakht in the high atlas, region of saffron culture. The carpet use sheep wool and is handwoven and knotted stitch with natural colors such as saffron, henna, menth. The carpet can be used for summer or winter, floor or against the wall. It’s the carpet of High Atlas by eminence.
Craftsmanship plays a very important role in the economy of the province of Ouarzazate and it is one of the fundamental characteristic of the daily life of this city. Thanks to national and international subsidies, several cooperatives and corporations have been created. Thus a wide variety of products, based on wood, metal, wool, clay, stone, copper and bone has been developed. The craft work has improved with the years but still retains its authenticity.
Among the craft activities, weaving is the oldest in ouarzazate. The carpet or “Tazarbit”, woven practically in all the surrounding villages of Ouarzazate, is destined for domestic use but also commercial. Weaving for these regions is an ancestral know-how that is transmitted at home and within the same family. Indeed, the mother introduces her daughter to the making of a rug as she introduces her to the culinary art. For its part the young weaver must be able to memorize a technique, a know-how, must also internalize the decorative motifs and above all, she hast to learn the taste of colors and ranges. The Taznakht carpet, from Ouarzazate and the regions, is recognized by the quality of its wool, by the brilliance of its colors, and often by its small size. The women takes care of the weaving and modeling of the carpets and the men takes care of the marketing in the weekly markets.
The carpet is a Berber-speaking tradition because, in southern Morocco, in the Upper and Middle Atlas, the carpet has flourished (under the name: Tazarbit). The development of this significant work of art of ancestral knowledge, is one of the daily concerns of the families of these regions. The Ait Ouaouzguit Center is one of the main cradles of this artisanal production. This world-renowned center is located in the High Atlas, here the making of carpets predominates. As a high place of crafts in general and carpets in particular, Taznakht is in turn composed of several points of production : Tamassin, Ait Semgane, Ait Ougharda, Ait Ouaouzguit, Ait Duchen, Znaga and Sektana as adjoining points. The region of Ouarzazate has two main cooperatives: The cooperative of Ouarzazate and The Cooperative of Taznakht.
A vintage Taznakht rug with its bright colors can decorate any interior, from minimalistic to bohemian. The colors remind us of the Sahara desert and will bring to life any furnitures or accentuate an element of your home. It fill your interior with warmth and special Maghreb presence.
Moroccan diverse culture is reflected in the perfection of the weaving art. Simple and natural colors, traditional design, purity of materials and deep spirituality of the art itself make Taznakht rugs a real work of Moroccan art.
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