The Oriental Collection - Catalog - Page 39
REZAS NOMADIC RUGS
Persian Gabbeh
Gabbeh is the name of a special rug woven by the Lori and Kashghai tribes. In
Persian, Gabbeh means raw or natural. The perfect name for these nomadic rugs,
whose design language is reduced to the essentials.They are coarsely woven, made
from hand spun wool and dyed in vegetable dyes. Gabbeh rugs have light colours,
a thick pile and knot densities of 150,000 to 250,000 knots per sqm. Most Gabbeh
rugs are sold in the bazaars of Shiraz. Typically, the warp, weft, and pile are all made
of handspun wool, and have no fringes. The ends are Kelims that have been folded
and sewn in.
The patterns are most often geometrical, although the Kashghai Gabbeh sometimes
display motifs in their finer rugs. Sometimes figure patterns can be seen; goats,
camels, and lions, covered by small geometrical motifs, and copies of reliefs from
Persepolis (the main city of the Achaemenid dynasty, near Shiraz). Typical colours
are beige, red, orange, and dark blue.
Gabbeh rugs are often copied by Indian manufacturers as they have achieved a very
high level of familiarity and popularity worldwide. Always pay attention to the origin
of the rug as Persian Gabbeh rugs have a higher quality, are softer and more robust.
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