Tribal Cheltikeh Rug
This tribal Cheltikeh rug was made in Afghanistan in lamb’s wool and measures 236 x 172 cm. It is laid out as a patchwork of panels rather than one open field, and each panel carries its own motif in green, orange, red, pink, cream and navy. Our listing describes it as double hand knotted.
The design up close
Across this tribal Cheltikeh rug, a column of red and orange chevrons runs down the centre, flanked by panels of cream with small plant motifs. Green panels fill the outer edges, and a navy and cream panel sits near the bottom. The layout is asymmetrical, so the panels do not repeat in a regular pattern.
Pink and rose panels sit in the corners, with teal and blue accents among the greens. The rug finishes with fringe at both ends.
Each panel has its own palette: some are orange and green, others red and cream, and a few are navy with small pale motifs. Because no two panels are the same, the rug reads more like a textile collage than a carpet, and the eye can rest on each block in turn.
The chevrons in the centre column sit one above another, which gives the rug a strong vertical line.
Afghan weaving and this rug
Afghanistan has a long weaving tradition, and Afghan rugs often carry bold geometric and tribal designs and a heavier, more relaxed feel. Afghan weavers make hand knotted tribal rugs like this one from lamb’s wool, one knot at a time on a loom.
How a tribal Cheltikeh rug is made
Our listing describes this tribal Cheltikeh rug as double hand knotted, and lamb’s wool forms the pile. Afghan rugs are hand knotted on a loom, one knot at a time, so each panel is built up by hand.
Afghan weavers tie each knot by hand, and a room-size rug can take many months from start to finish.
Sizing it for your room
At 236 x 172 cm, this tribal Cheltikeh rug covers about 4.1 square metres. Under a dining table of about 180 x 90 cm, it leaves 28 cm of rug past each end and 41 cm along each side. Its busy panels hide everyday wear, so it suits family rooms and entrances.
The colourful panels suit a living room with plain furniture, where the rug can be the main point of colour.
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 colours read 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 tribal Cheltikeh 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 Tribal, or ask about a custom made rug in your own size and colour. Read more about Afghan rugs.
