Hand-knotted in India, these incredible rugs are made from a blend of fine Indian wool and cotton that is sourced from the island in the Mediterranean Sea. The yarn is mill spun and woven on a traditionally vertical wooden loom. Each knot is hand woven individually as in the ancient Persian knot technique. Four weavers will take about six weeks to weave one rug. Each rug is given three rounds of rigorous wash. Before each wash, the back of the rugs is mildly burnt with hand-held flame-emitting stoves. The rugs are carefully hand-sheared, to create a low, soft, and dense pile underfoot. The weaving of these rugs is done in the villages around Varanasi, India - a city which has been continuously habited for at least 4,000 years, thus making it the oldest surviving city in the world. The history of the city spans over 10,000 years.