Ocher Gabbeh Rug
This ocher Gabbeh rug was double hand-knotted in Afghanistan in lamb’s wool and measures 200 x 152 cm, about 3.0 square metres. Its central panel is built from horizontal stripes of tan, rust, green, cream and maroon, framed by vertical bands of blue on each side.
The design up close
The central panel holds horizontal stripes that run across the rug. Near the top, a green band carries a row of small red-outlined squares and diamonds, and the bands below it alternate between brown, cream and dark green. Tiny figures, animals and trees in dark brown, red and cream run along the cream stripes.
A frame of tan bands surrounds the panel, with small trees and figures in red and cream along its edges. The tall blue strips on each side run the full length of the rug and carry rows of small red and cream motifs. Beyond them, the outer panels are maroon, mustard and cream with small motifs, and the top and bottom edges of this ocher Gabbeh rug show grey-blue bands with rows of little figures.
The wide stripes are close in tone, so from a distance the central panel reads as a calm field, and up close it becomes a row of small figures. In this ocher Gabbeh rug the tan base keeps the whole piece warm.
Where Gabbeh rugs come from
Gabbeh rugs come from a nomadic weaving tradition, with a thick, soft pile, open fields of colour and simple motifs, sometimes small figures or animals. The Gabbeh belongs to the tribes of the Zagros mountains in Iran, including the Lori and Qashqai, who wove thick, simple rugs mainly for their own households. The name is often translated as raw or natural. Weavers in Afghanistan now make Gabbeh rugs in the same spirit.
How it is made
Weavers in Afghanistan tie each knot by hand on a loom, and this ocher Gabbeh rug is double hand-knotted. The stripes and the small figures are built up row by row, so each band of colour follows the knot rows across the rug.
Lamb’s wool gives the pile a thick, generous feel underfoot, and the colour changes between the stripes are sharp enough to read from across a room.
Sizing an ocher Gabbeh rug for your room
At 200 x 152 cm the rug is under 2.6 m long, so it suits a living room where the front legs of a sofa and two armchairs rest on it around a coffee table. The 152 cm width is close to the 153 cm of a queen bed, so the rug can sit at the foot of a queen bed without going past its sides.
With an area of about 3.0 square metres, this ocher Gabbeh rug suits a bedroom or a family room where comfort underfoot matters. The tan and rust tones sit well with timber floors and neutral walls.
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 ocher Gabbeh 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 Gabbeh Rugs, or ask about a custom made rug in your own size and colour. Read more about Gabbeh rugs.
