Rugs found nowadays

The complete contents of these tombs were found to be embedded (and thus preserved) in ice, the reason for this apparently perpetual refrigeration being, so far, left unexplained.

Among the numerous exciting finds was a knotted carpet, 6 by 6J feet, and in excellent condition.

The Russian archaeologists who opened up the tombs put the date of the burials at some hundreds of years b.c. and it is from their evidence that this is claimed to be the most ancient pile carpet in the world.