Blue Afghan Kazak Rug
This blue Afghan Kazak rug was double hand knotted in Afghanistan in extra fine lamb’s wool and measures 120 x 84 cm. It is a medallion design with a blue ground, a red centre medallion and a border of brown and rust geometric bands.
The design up close
Three medallions sit on the blue field of this blue Afghan Kazak rug, one at each end and a red one in the middle. The top and bottom medallions are cream with navy and red, and the centre medallion is red with a green core and cream edging. Small motifs in orange, cream and red fill the spaces either side of the medallions, and the rest of the field is open blue.
The border is brown and rust, built from rows of cream, navy and green chevrons and diamonds that repeat along each side.
The strongest colour on the rug is the red centre, which draws the eye straight down the middle of the blue.
The Caucasus origins of Kazak designs
Kazak designs are bold and geometric, and they were first woven in the Caucasus. The name comes from the Kazak (Gazakh) district of the southern Caucasus, where weavers made thick rugs with large geometric medallions, stars and hooked motifs in deep reds, blues and ivory.
Weavers in Afghanistan have revived these patterns in recent decades, using thick, hard-wearing wool that suits busy rooms.
Kazak rugs suit living rooms, family rooms and entrances because thick wool and busy geometric designs hide everyday wear.
How it is made
Our Kazak rugs are hand knotted in Afghanistan, and this blue Afghan Kazak rug is double hand knotted, so each knot is tied by hand on a loom. Our records note natural dyes.
Turn it over and the design shows clearly on the back, with slight irregularities in the knots.
When you judge a Kazak rug, look at the back first. Hand knotting leaves the design readable there, and the knots sit a little unevenly, which is the sign of handwork.
Sizing a blue Afghan Kazak rug
At 120 x 84 cm the rug covers about 1.0 square metre. It is a compact piece for a bedside, an entrance or the space in front of an armchair.
A blue Afghan Kazak rug of this size gives a small corner a clear focal point, with the red medallion as its strongest colour against the blue.
It is shorter than a dining table of about 180 x 90 cm, so it sits best under a coffee table or beside a bed.
Looking after your rug
Vacuum it on a suction-only setting, or with the beater bar switched off, so the brush does not pull at the knots. Turn it around every six to twelve months so sun and foot traffic wear it evenly. Blot spills with a clean white cloth and cold water rather than rubbing them in. When it needs a full clean, choose a cleaner who washes handmade rugs by hand.
Put a good underlay beneath it. It stops the rug sliding on timber or tiles, adds cushioning and takes some of the wear off the pile. Moths like wool in dark, quiet spots, such as the part of a rug under a sofa, so vacuum those areas often and lift the furniture now and then.
See it before you buy
Visit our showroom at 307 Penshurst St, North Willoughby, open every day from 11 am to 4:30 pm, to see blue Afghan Kazak rug in person. If you would rather judge it in your own room, with your own light and furniture, book an in-home viewing and we will bring a selection to you.
Browse more Kazak Rugs, or ask about a custom made rug in your own size and colour. Read more about Caucasian and Kazak rugs.
