Calling all symbologists and textile artists!

I'm off on a mini-break with husband, 50% of the children and 100% of the dog. We are going to actually ramble with Rachel Fox, who lives further north than I do. I'm so glad the Met Office has declared summer officially over just prior to this excursion.

Following Wednesday's blogstorm, I wondered if a question that has eluded answer by some of the fine minds I know (and I've consulted Jung, Silberer, Ouspensky etc.) could finally be answered by some of the fine minds I've now encountered?

Here is a hearth-rug. We've had it for twelve years. It has got symbols on it. I know, as soon as you look, you think "Zodiac Signs", but then you look a bit harder and it just doesn't quite work; plus I can't find any examples of Zodiac symbols like it.

So has anyone out there ever seen this set of symbols before, as I don't feel they were just randomly created by the rug-weaver for artistic effect. They look to me like they mean something. The rug was purchased in one of those cool little interior-design type shops that kid you they're selling one-offs. No labels, but Mr. David, the proprietor, said it came from India.

I've turned the picture over as well, because we don't know which way up it goes. Help a poor fool in their ignorance, please!