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About Oriental rugs

Among the Chinese, yellow is the symbol of royalty.

The Emperor of China and his sons may wear yellow robes; their descendants wear yellow sashes and have yellow bridles for their horses. Red is the symbol of truth, virtue, and sincerity. It is the color of the highest degree of official rank. White is the symbol of mourn­ing ; black represents vice and depravity.

In Turkey, green is the most sacred color; and for that reason a true follower of Mahomet will not permit it to be used in his rugs, for fear it may be profaned by being stepped upon.    Thirty-five or forty years ago no Christian was allowed to wear even a vestige of green anywhere upon him, while in Turkey; but this law is not now so rigidly enforced.    If the Prophet or any of his family wear this color, no objection is raised, as he and they are considered holy, and thus exempt from the penalty.    White is the color permitted to a student or a teacher of the law.    To the Mohammedans of India and Persia, as to the Chinese, white is the emblem of mourning.    In India, orange signifies devotion or pious resignation, and blue means ill-luck to the Hindoo.

Red was the favorite color of the Gauls, purple of the Romans, and saffron of the Greeks.