Cream Medallion Mamluk Rug
This cream medallion Mamluk rug is hand knotted in Afghanistan from lamb’s wool, and it measures 242 x 176 cm, or about 4.3 square metres. It is a medallion design with a cream base and a blue border. The palette is red, blue and cream, with orange touches that pick out the main shapes, so the rug looks busy at a distance and clear up close.
The design up close
A large octagonal medallion at the centre of this cream medallion Mamluk rug is deep red, ringed by a band of blue grey chevrons, with an orange star at its heart. Smaller panels in cream, red and blue surround it. Round medallions in red and blue sit at the top and bottom of the field, so the centre line holds together from end to end.
The border is a blue grey band with small orange and red diamonds spaced along it, framed by thin cream lines. At each end a short fringe carries tips in several colours. The cream field of this cream medallion Mamluk rug stays calm between the red and blue shapes, so the medallion is the first thing the eye reads.
Mamluk rugs and the Afghan weave
Mamluk rugs reinterpret the geometric carpets made in the Mamluk era, with central medallions built from octagons and stars and finely detailed borders. The Mamluks ruled Egypt and Syria from 1250 to 1517, and the carpets woven in Cairo from the late 15th century, and into the 16th, are known for kaleidoscopic designs of nested octagons, stars and small geometric shapes. Weavers in Afghanistan revive these designs today, and this rug follows that line.
How this cream medallion Mamluk rug is made
Hand knotting builds each medallion one knot at a time, and the pile is lamb’s wool. The patterned field helps hide everyday wear, so this rug suits busy rooms. Mamluk designs depend on many small shapes set close together, so the knotting has to keep each one distinct.
Sizing this cream medallion Mamluk rug in your room
At 242 x 176 cm the rug covers about 4.3 square metres. A sofa of around 2.2 m can rest its front legs on it, and two armchairs can do the same around a coffee table. In a dining room it suits a table of about 180 x 90 cm, leaving 31 cm of rug past each end and 43 cm along each side. Keep the cream field of this cream medallion Mamluk rug clear of heavy furniture so the central medallion stays visible.
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 medallion 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.
