Light Blue Afghan Mamluk Rug
This light blue Afghan Mamluk rug was made in Afghanistan in lamb’s wool and measures 196 x 151 cm. Its pale blue grey ground holds a large cream octagon at the centre, edged in tan, with small motifs filling the field around it. Our listing describes it as hand knotted in fine lamb’s wool.
The design up close
Across this light blue Afghan Mamluk rug, the centre octagon contains a darker star, and round rosettes sit above and below it. Rows of small circles and tiny octagons fill the ground between them, in cream, tan and muted blue.
Square panels with star and tile motifs sit in the corners of the field. The border is beige and taupe, with fine repeating motifs in tan and rust.
Its colours are soft: pale blue grey, cream, tan and a touch of muted green in the small motifs. The octagon is the largest shape, so the eye settles on it first and then drifts out to the rosettes and the border.
The history behind the design
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 light blue Afghan Mamluk rug draws on that tradition.
How a light blue Afghan Mamluk rug is made
Afghan rugs are hand knotted on a loom, one knot at a time. This light blue Afghan Mamluk rug uses lamb’s wool for its pile, and its listing describes hand knotting in fine wool.
A room-size rug can take a small team of weavers many months, and the knots are tied one at a time.
Sizing it for your room
At 196 x 151 cm, this light blue Afghan Mamluk rug covers about 3.0 square metres. A dining table of about 180 x 90 cm would leave 8 cm of rug at each end, so this rug is better suited to a living room or bedroom. At the foot of a queen bed (153 cm wide), its 151 cm width sits close to the width of the bed.
A living room with a small sofa or armchairs can sit on it, and the cream centre gives the floor a clear focal point.
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.
Daylight changes how the pale blue reads across the day, so look at the rug near a window before you decide where it should go.
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 light blue Afghan 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.
