Cream Geometric Mamluk Rug
This cream geometric Mamluk rug was double hand knotted in Afghanistan in lamb’s wool and measures 183 x 122 cm. The outer ground is cream, and the field is a grid of sage and grey-green cells around a red star medallion.
The design up close
At the centre of this cream geometric Mamluk rug sits a large red star medallion, with a pale green core and a grey-green ring around it. Dark red octagon medallions with green centres sit at the top and bottom of the field, and the cells between them hold small rosettes and stars in sage, grey-green and cream.
The outer border is cream, with a scatter of small dots in red, green and blue-grey. A narrow dark line marks the inner edge of the border, and fringe finishes both short ends.
On this cream geometric Mamluk rug, the field is mostly sage and grey-green, with the red medallion as its strongest colour, and the cream border gives the rug a light edge. The red star is the first thing the eye takes in when you enter the room.
Where the Mamluk design comes from
The Mamluks ruled Egypt and Syria from 1250 to 1517. Carpets woven in Cairo from the late 15th century, and into the 16th, are known for medallions built from octagons, stars and small geometric shapes that fill the whole rug. Weavers in Afghanistan revive these designs today, and this cream geometric Mamluk rug keeps the layout of octagons and stars within a grid of cells.
How a cream geometric Mamluk rug is made
Each knot is tied by hand on a loom, row after row, and the pile is then sheared level. Our records note natural dyes. Lamb’s wool gives the pile a soft hand, and the many small cells of the design sit evenly across it. Each cell holds its own small motif, so the pattern rewards close looking.
Sizing it for your room
At 183 x 122 cm the rug covers about 2.2 square metres. Across the foot of a king bed, 183 cm wide in Australia, it matches the width of the bed exactly. A queen bed, 153 cm wide, would leave the rug overhanging by about 15 cm on each side. In a living room, this cream geometric Mamluk rug sits well in front of a two-seat sofa, where the sofa’s front legs can rest on the cells near each end. Its sage and grey-green field also suits grey, green or cream upholstery.
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 cream geometric Mamluk 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 Mamluk Rugs, or ask about a custom made rug in your own size and colour. Read more about Mamluk carpets.
