Scholar Preserves Armenian Weaving Heritage Through Research
The Rug Wizard
Hratch Kozibeyokian, known as "The Rug Wizard," has dedicated his career to documenting and preserving Armenian textile traditions. Born in Aleppo to descendants of Genocide survivors and raised in Lebanon, Kozibeyokian moved to the United States in 1977 and founded KO'Z' Craft in 1990 to restore antique carpets and handwoven textiles.
Kozibeyokian introduced the first academic course on Armenian rug history at California State University, Northridge, and has served as president of the Armenian Rugs Society since 2015. He has curated exhibitions and lectured at institutions including the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and the White House Visitor Center. In recent lectures at the Lark Musical Society, he addressed the symbolism of Armenian costumes across historic regions, emphasizing how textiles and embroidery preserve cultural memory and identity across generations.
