For many Russians, home never feels like a home without a rug hanging on the wall. Although many might think it has to do something with the Russians’ culture and tradition, it is not!
There is a practical reason why Russians hang rugs on the walls of their rooms.
So, if you really want to know why do Russians hang rugs on the wall, you need to think of a practical reason. And if you feel it has to do with heat insulation, you are 100 percent right!
But why would you need to hang rugs on the wall to maintain heat in the room? Continue reading to find out!
Why Do Russians Have Rugs Hanging on the Walls?
For the Russians, carpets and rugs were not a thing before the 60s. And during the massive urbanization project of Russia, millions and millions of people started leaving their rural houses, barracks, and dormitories and moving to the city apartments.
Insulation
The city buildings had a low budget and were mainly of thin concrete panels. Many will refer to them as Khrushchyovki, as they were built when Nikita Krushchev directed the country.
Although these apartments let the Russians get a proper feel of what it is like living in an urban area, they had one problem. That is, the apartments got very cold during the winter.
The reason behind such a condition would be the thin concrete walls. So, to ensure they remained comfortable in their rooms during the harsh winter, people started to hang wool carpets and rugs on their walls.
This practice was very common in the northern regions. The results? People found out that rugs could offer better overall heat insulation in the room.
The Russians of that time did not care how the carpets looked on the walls. Instead, they cared more about how hot the room was compared to the outside.
Truly, it is better to use carpets to stay warm than to catch a cold while sleeping.
Soundproofing and Aesthetics
The cold walls of the Khrushchyovki were not the only problem of the newly-built apartments. The walls were very thin, which made it very hard for the people inside to sleep when someone from the other room was watching TV.
The same thing applied when someone was working in the kitchen. So, the carpets did not only insulate the room but also made it somewhat soundproof.
Finally, we should not ignore how beautiful the hand-knitted carpets look. In other words, the carpets also added an aesthetic touch to the rooms.
That is why many Russians do not feel like they are at home if there are no carpets on the walls.
What Do Carpets and Rugs Mean for Russian History?
The Muslim states of the Middle East were the ones that introduced rugs and carpets as decorations to medieval Europe. Due to the complexity of the production, people in Persia used to consider the wall carpets as true treasures.
Nonetheless, carpets and rugs have a good amount of history for the Russians. Allow us to give you an idea.
Early Days
In the 16th century, people of Europe started to bring carpets to keep or gift them to notable persons. It automatically became an accurate indicator of high social status.
Rich people were capable of owning one. The same thing applied to Russians.
The eastern ambassadors would often gift expensive carpets to Tsars. That is why in the 17th century, the walls, ceilings, and floors of the bedroom of Tsar Alexis were fully decorated with magnificent tapestries and carpets.
The nobility quickly picked up this trend. And it continued throughout the next century.
In the 19th century, carpets and rugs started to appear in the homes of the townsfolk and rich peasants who wanted to show that they were as wealthy as the nobility.
Soviet Times
Carpets and rugs were a sign of a well-to-do family during the Soviet times. The reason behind such a symbolic meaning is that they were not inexpensive at that time.
People had an average monthly salary of just 120 to 150 rubles. And carpets and rugs used to cost anywhere from 125 to 500 rubles.
However, that pricing is for the carpets that were from the Soviet Union. For the Vietnamese and Chinese versions, the prices would go up to 1500 rubles.
It was a massive deal for an average family back then.
Nonetheless, one could not just walk into the shop and get themselves a carpet. In those times, the citizens had to “Procure” the carpets.
But this process was not just limited to carpets. The story was the same for all the beautiful furniture pieces, apartment decoration objects, and expensive items.
The potential buyers had to put their names on the special list during that process. That list was chronologically ordered, and people had to wait for a prolonged time to get their hands on something expensive.
Sometimes, it took up to a year for the Soviet citizens to get their hands on hand-knitted carpets and rugs.
USSR Times
During the USSR, rugs and carpets became essential for everyday life. In fact, a superstitious belief started to spread around.
People used to believe that carpets should not be nailed onto the walls. If anyone does that, they will bring misfortune to the family.
This superstitious belief is pretty similar to the one about salt. Back in those times, Russians used to believe if one spilled salt, they would get in a row with the person that saw the salt getting spilled.
Both of these superstitions are the same because carpets and salt were costly during those times. And these beliefs hindered people from not using them correctly.
Nonetheless, due to these superstitions, people used to hang the carpets with small stitched threads instead of nailing them directly to the wall.
Final Words
Are you still wondering why do Russians hang rugs on the wall? Well, it has to do more with heat insulation and soundproofing.
Now, although the modern homes of Russia have better structure, which keeps the room at a moderately warm temperature, the carpets still act like decoration pieces.
Last Updated on September 1, 2022
