ntres of trade in Constantinople, Tiflis,
and other distributing points, quickly find their way thence to New York,
and help to make the magnitude and seeming wonderful complexity of the
large wholesale depots. Whoever is fortunate enough to have the _entree_
to any of these great New York storehouses will be first among those who
understand the importance, value, and appreciation of the Oriental rug.

CHAPTER XI

INSCRIPTIONS AND DATES

In addition to the many patterns, figures, devices and symbols, which are
used for ornamentation, rugs and carpets are often embellished with
hieroglyphic writing, somewhere in their field, and commonly at top or
bottom. Not unfrequently complete borders are thus composed, as is
evidenced in old Kirmans. These designs are so graceful in their many
angles and occasional curves that they scarcely suggest mere lettering.
Such they are, nevertheless; and our English script, with all its loops
and turns and recurrent "lines of beauty," would hardly avail for like
effective results. It is but another proof of the artistic possibilities
of angular lines and geometric figures, so often demonstrated by Oriental
weavers.

With few exceptions, all of these hieroglyphics are in the Arabic
language, and are quotations from the Persian poets, with flowery
sentiment, or from the Koran, in proper precept. But, as is more
important, there will frequently be found in the corners of a choice
piece, or elsewhere unobtrusively woven, the signature or cipher of the
maker, with the date of the making. This at once gives distinction and
value to such a specimen and exalts it above its fellows. It also calls
loudly for an answer to the question of what such name and date may be.
Very rarely can the dealer inform you, because he does not know. Here,
then, is a great stumbling-block in the path of the collector. It may be
worth while to go around it by way of a brief explanation.

The Arabic language has been the _lingua franca_ of the East from the time
that it succeeded Greek in the seventh century. It still retains its
universality wherever Mohammedanism rules. Turkey may be excepted from
its sway, but, none the less, it is a most necessary language to-day in
Constantinople. Its use by carpet-weavers is by reason of its catholicity;
that it may be understood where their varying languages and unknown
dialects would tell no story.

That Arabic is so generally known throughout the Orient is doubtles