Green Specks Mamluk Rug
This green specks Mamluk rug is double hand knotted in Afghanistan from wool and measures 183 x 122 cm. Its cream and grey ground carries sage green, rust red and dusty blue motifs, and small dots of red, blue and green run through the outer border.
The design up close
The centre holds a large star medallion in rust red, outlined in slate and filled with a sage green octagon. Around it the ground is cut into a grid of small square panels, each carrying a rosette, a leaf or a cross in grey, sage, cream and red. Two octagonal medallions sit at the top and bottom of the field, dark red-brown in the middle and ringed with green, and small rosettes fill the corners beside them.
The main border is cream, with rows of tiny dots in red, blue and green running along both long sides. A narrow inner band of grey-green carries a line of small triangles. Multicoloured tassels finish both short ends, so the rug is framed on all four sides.
From across the room the grey and sage panels blur into one texture, and the red medallions draw the eye toward the centre. Up close, each panel holds its own small motif, and this green specks Mamluk rug keeps most of its detail in those panels.
Mamluk design and its Afghan weavers
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 their kaleidoscopic designs: medallions built from octagons, stars and small geometric shapes, filling the whole rug. Weavers in Afghanistan revive these designs today, and this green specks Mamluk rug follows the same plan, with octagons above and below a star at the centre.
How a green specks Mamluk rug is made
Weavers tie each knot by hand on a loom, row after row, then shear the pile level. Turn the rug over and the knots show the design from the back, which is the easiest way to judge how fine the work is. Our records note vegetable dyes. Vegetable dyes can vary a little in shade, so the greens and reds may shift slightly from one panel to the next.
Sizing it for your room
At 183 x 122 cm this green specks Mamluk rug covers about 2.2 square metres. That suits a bedside, a study corner or the floor in front of a single armchair. Set it beside a bed so that your feet land on the wool first thing in the morning, or lay it at the end of a bed where a small rug has room to sit.
A green specks Mamluk rug of this size adds pattern to a room without taking over the floor. The pale ground and grey panels suit timber floors and cream or grey walls, and they pair well with plain linen in neutral tones.
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 this green specks 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.
