The Truth About Gabbeh Persian Rugs
Deep in the sparse valleys of the Zagros mountain range of Iran, you will find Iranian rugs woven by women who have been doing this type of weaving for centuries. The word in the Farsi language means natural or made in the rough and therefore their product is called Gabbeh Persian rugs because they are made with natural fibres, coarsely woven and knotted in the age old tradition. In almost all rugs you will find that the weaver has depicted her personal life’s journey or another might have captured a moment in time in her masterfully woven rug.
The pile that is used to weave their tales of scenes and emotions is very thick and the knots are tied fast in a low density. With a variety of symbols and geometric shapes, you will find that each carpet is unique and can never be duplicated, therefore making it a genuine article of great aesthetic value to the owner.
With there distinct knots and thick piles you cannot find another rug elsewhere which stands out like a Gabbeh rug. Many have tried to imitate them, but if you know how to look you will quickly find that the counterfeit has a more synthetic feel and is made of inferior wool. The rule of thumb would be to look for a white fringe on its borders which render it an imitation made from cotton.
There is a wide range to choose from and many different colors such as the kashkoli, baluch, basic, amalehbaft to name a few. These different types are varied in the way they are woven. Some are coarsely woven with few knots per inch and some are medium woven with short soft piles. There are also some rugs that are flat woven and then there are those who are not as colourful as there counterparts.
Because of the nomadic lifestyle of the people of Southern Iran, they weave their carpets on horizontal looms. The wool is locally sourced from sheep and treated with dyes made from various plants in that specific area which the weavers have discovered over the centuries.
For instance, roots will be dug up and transformed into special pastes and later diluted with water to make beautiful color pallets, which are organic in appearance and composition. When entering their habitat you will find many women sitting while separating the woolen fibers – all done by hand of course. Gabbeh Persian rugs which are well maintained will appreciate with age and use.
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