Red Tribal Afghan Gabbeh Rug
This red tribal Afghan Gabbeh rug was double knotted by hand in Afghanistan from lamb’s wool and measures 223 x 175 cm. Striped bands of colour run through the centre, framed by blue grey columns and a deep red outer border.
The design up close
The centre of this red tribal Afghan Gabbeh rug is a field of horizontal stripes in maroon, red, rust, orange and green. Each stripe carries a row of small diamonds, crosses and tiny flowers, and a band of larger motifs in dark maroon and blue grey sits near the middle. A gold olive frame surrounds the field, with small hooked motifs along its top and bottom edges.
Two blue grey bands run down the sides, between that frame and the outer border. The outer border is deep red, with rows of small squares and tiny figures in cream, green and yellow. Narrow stripes of red and cream run along the outer edges, and a thin row of motifs in cream and blue separates the stripes from the frame.
Because the stripes change colour row by row, this red tribal Afghan Gabbeh rug reads as warm texture from across the room and as clear motifs up close. White fringe finishes both ends, and the colours sit close together so that no single stripe overpowers the rest.
Where Gabbeh rugs come from
The Gabbeh is a rug of the tribes of the Zagros mountains in Iran, including the Lori and Qashqai, who wove thick, simple rugs mainly for their own households. Gabbeh rugs are known for open fields of colour and simple motifs. This rug keeps the striped bands of that tradition. Weavers in Afghanistan now make Gabbeh rugs in the same spirit, and this red tribal Afghan Gabbeh rug is one of them.
How this red tribal Afghan Gabbeh rug is made
Afghan rugs are hand knotted on a loom, one knot at a time. This rug was double knotted by hand, and our records note natural dyes, which give the stripes their soft, slightly varied shades. Lamb’s wool gives the pile a soft hand, and the colour in each stripe shifts a little in tone along its length.
Sizing it for your room
At 223 x 175 cm, this red tribal Afghan Gabbeh rug covers about 3.9 square metres. For a living room, its length suits the space in front of a sofa, where the front legs of the sofa and two armchairs can rest on it around a coffee table. Its warm stripes sit well with timber floors and with cream, grey or white walls, and the blue grey bands pick up a grey sofa or cushions.
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 red tribal Afghan 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.
