FIGURE 5.36 Women weaving silk carpets in Margilan, Uzbekistan. Carpets have been produced across Central Asia for thousands of years, usually from the wool of sheep. They carry a great deal of symbolism and ethnic distinctiveness and vary in color and design from place to place. Carpets probably originated as portable furnishings for nomadic peoples. Courtesy Doug Meikle Dreaming Track Images/Photolibrary/Getty Images