Those specks in what was originally called berber carpeting originated from woven rugs of the Berber tribe in Africa, they wove all the dirt and dried dung from the wool into their rugs. This look is of dirt and dung, LOL!!
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I'm sorry, but this is a case of misinformation being passed around so long it becomes believable and I knew you would want to know.
Several years ago I knew far more about berber carpet than I do now. The more study I do on the subject, the more confused I become on how anyone could draw a connection between the sacred weaving of the Berber people and the looped pile texture carpet now synonymous with berber in the US.
For the longest time I incorrectly believed that Berber's were nomadic tribes roving Saharan Africa. Truth is, most Berbers are farmers. Which explains the ability to gather and process animal fibers.
Here is another fact: Weaving in the Berber community is done exclusively by women. In addition, it is held in very high regard. So much so, it is believed for a woman to weave forty rugs in a lifetime guarantees a place in heaven. Also worthy of note, weaving is a sacred skill passed from mother to daughter and often centers around fertility and stories of life. Not something that would be done with dirt & dung.
With regards to processing the yarn. The yarn is spun by hand and while it is possible to have yarn pick up specks of debris and fugitive fibers. Ask anyone who has ever spun yarn by hand and they will tell us, dirt and dung is not conducive to the spinning process.
As for the characteristic flecking, the yarn used for weaving is collected over an extended period of time and mixing the fibers from different animals
{{e.g.: sheep, goat & camel}} is a common practice.
Another aspect relevant to the issue of dirt & dung is the fact that, for centuries, in cultures with barter based commerce, woven textiles have always been highly valued as a currency. Not an environment that would be supportive to dirt & dung.
One of the startling findings of my explorations into the specific classification of Berber weaving has been the amazingly beautiful colors, patterns and designs that are synonymous with the weaving of the Berber peoples outside of Dalton, Georgia. So what about the neutral textured flecked carpets?
Currently, the very best connection I have been able to draw is, historically, before the Berber peoples converted to Muslim, there existed a belief that it was bad luck to weave with dyed yarn. This practice appears to have completely disappeared by the 1920's.
To date, with years of book reading and internet searching, I have yet to see a true Berber rug, woven by Berber's, in Saharan Africa, that looks anything even close to what our modern industry refers to, or describes, as a berber.
Making my question:
How did the term Berber become part of the modern carpet vernacular?
With kindest regards,
Dobby
educate me/us 
