Earth Tone Mamluk Rug
This earth tone Mamluk rug was hand knotted in Afghanistan in fine lamb’s wool and measures 182 x 122 cm. Its field is charcoal and brown, with a pale star medallion at the centre and ochre and cream accents around it.
The design up close
A grey-blue star medallion sits at the centre of this earth tone Mamluk rug, with a cream octagon in its middle and a ring of small dark dots around the octagon. The ring of dots keeps the centre sharp against the star. Around the star, square and rectangular cells in cream, ochre, sage and dark brown each hold a small rosette or lattice. Pale roundels with dark outlines sit at the top and bottom centre of the field.
On this earth tone Mamluk rug the outer border is dark charcoal, with cream and ochre scroll and leaf motifs, and a thin ochre line frames the field. The dark ground around the field lets the pale centre stand out from across the room. Its charcoal and brown tones suit timber floors, grey walls and dark leather or linen furniture.
Most of the cells are muted grey, ochre and sage, so the rug reads as a warm, dark brown overall, with the cream octagon as its brightest point. The cream octagon is the only pale shape in the centre, so it draws the eye first.
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. Weavers in Afghanistan revive these designs today, and an earth tone Mamluk rug keeps the same grid of cells and central medallion.
How an earth tone Mamluk rug is made
Every knot is tied by hand on a loom, row after row, and the pile is then sheared level. Lamb’s wool comes from a young sheep’s first shearing and gives the pile a soft hand that sits well underfoot.
Sizing it for your room
At 182 x 122 cm the rug covers about 2.2 square metres. Across the foot of a queen bed, 153 cm wide in Australia, its 182 cm length overhangs by about 15 cm on each side. In a living room, an earth tone Mamluk rug of this size sits well in front of a two-seat sofa, where the sofa’s front legs can rest on the cells near each end. It also suits a study or library, where a quiet palette fits the room.
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 earth tone 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.
