All Beautiful Things To Know About Gabbeh Rugs For Decor Your Home
If you’re reading this, it’s probably safe to say you have an interest in rugs. We do, too! That is why we are always so passionate about sharing one of our favorite rugs: The Gabbeh rugs. Wait, you say… a what rug? Okay, so maybe you aren’t that familiar with Gabbeh rugs. Never fear! That’s why I’m here. I hope to show you why Gabbeh rugs are great. It is not only for enhancing the aesthetic of any room. But why their long history is of great cultural and commercial importance for parts of the tribal area of Iran.
Are you ready?
So what is a Gabbeh rug?
The Gabbeh rug is an indigenous rug that’s made in mountains area of Iran by tribal weavers. These rugs have an ancient history and thus have developed a subtle sophistication over many hundreds of years. Each piece begs the attention of those looking at it. Their bright primary colors, designs, and unique patterns are enough to make anyone job their jaw in awe. The beauty of Gabbeh rugs was discovered in the nineteenth century, as people from outside began to notice the wonderful handmade rugs of the Qashqai tribe.These rugs bore a variety of patterns and came in many designs. The main weavers of the Gabbeh rugs were (and still are) the Qashqai tribes living in the Zagros Mountains. These mountains, the highest in Iran, help provide the local peoples with a unique culture of which the Gabbeh rugs cannot be separated.
“Gabbeh” comes from a Persian word that means “rough” or “uneven,” and this is exactly how the original Gabbeh rugs were. Handmade, the rugs were weaved together in rough patterns that differ substantially from those in nearby areas. This instantly made the rugs something of an article upon discovery. It wasn’t until many years later, however, that people realized the rugs could be marketed for a more broad use.
Natural Dyes
Gabbeh rugs boast of their natural dyes that give the already unique rugs an extra touch of flavor. Like all things in life, artificial rugs can give your room a cheap look. And I’m sure that’s not what you want. If you are planning on making your space go the whole nine yards, then you need something that can really get the job done.And what better way to do this than with a rug made from all-natural dyes? Give yourself and your room the classy air that you both deserve. Don’t sell yourself short!
Let’s take a brief trip back in time. It’s the era of a social revolution the “hippie” revolution. People from Europe and India are beginning to travel the world, and interest in tribal designs and artifacts is at a new high. Unfortunately, years of change have seen the beautiful Gabbeh rugs and Gabbeh runner rugs seriously decline in quality. Whereas they were once made with high-quality all-natural dyes with complex diamond and abstract patterns, they are now being made with simple animal designs and un-dyed wool.Despite this, interest in the “exotic” Gabbeh carpet increased, and people across the world began collecting the item. This frenzy lasted for many years before finally bursting huge about twenty years later.
Imagine: it’s Turkey. The 1980s, and there is a new revolution going on. A revolution that emphasizes the beauty and eloquence of all-natural dyes. As mentioned, prior to this time the rug market in Iran and neighboring countries had been falling into mediocrity. Countries that once produced decorative rugs were instead presenting the world with articles of blandness, pieces that lacked any sense of originality or feeling.
Enter Abbas Sayahi, a man who helped bring the natural dye revolution to rugs. This creative addition to the rug-making process forever changed the history of rug-making and gave the world one of its finest craftsmen treasures: the modern-day Gabbeh rug.
This modern-day rug contains many shout-outs to its original ancestor, mainly its use of all-natural dyes. These days provide a unique vibrancy and flavor that cannot be garnered with synthetic dyes. This authentic quality makes the Persian Gabbeh rugs special.
Today, rugs made of all-natural dyes are now coming back into style, and that means you can upgrade your room while getting with the modern trends.
How great does that sound?
It’s time to learn more about the important figures in Gabbeh rug history. It would be amiss to not first mention Abbas Sayahi you might know him as the uncle in the Gabbeh movie (or Gabbeh film, for those who want to sound classy) “Gabbeh” (which is about you guessed it the Gabbeh rug) can only be described as a master of dyes. Despite opposition, Sayahi perfected his dyeing skills over the course of many years. Because of this, he is considered one of the masters of making the Gabbeh rug, an art he still performs until today.
It’s no secret that Sayahi achieved his fame after the trends changed and natural dyes came into favor. Before this time, his work was not highly valued, as it was seen as too old-fashioned. However, when the tides of time brought Iran the natural dye revolution, the country became a leader in producing natural-dye rugs.
Why? Because they had a master who had preserved the secrets of making all-natural Gabbeh area rugs. However, it is not Sayahi who is most associated with the Gabbeh rug. That honor belongs to a different man: Gholam Reza Zollanvari. Zollanvari was not the first to try to make the Gabbeh rug a commercial success, but he was certainly the most prolific. His grandfather owned a shop that specialized in rug-making, and there he learned the trade from a young age. His expertise helped make Zollanvari a brand and it is recognized around the world.
Now nearly all the steps were in place for the perfect Gabbeh ABC rug making nation. With the highest-quality fleece being provided by the tribes of the Zagros Mountains and one-of-a-kind dyes being provided by the master Sayahi himself, the only thing missing was the material to make the Gabbeh rug more than just a rough design. If the rug were going to go commercial, it needed to be thick and able to cover floors effectively.
Taking it to the Next Level
And of course, the next step made this possible. Gabbeh rugs can be thick up to three-fourths inches. These thick rugs maintained the tribal passion embodied in the earlier rugged (no pun intended) rugs, but they were much more sound for commercial use. Using 40-60kpi weaves, the rugs were still slightly course and came in only a few colors with simple designs. These designs consisted of mono-chromatic animals and scenes straight from folklore. These rugs are more popular. Others geometric patterns were also quite popular. If these rugs sound amazing, it’s because they were!
This generation of Gabbeh rugs became a big bestseller (just another you should check into getting one yourself!).
Gabbeh Rug “Specs”
It’s time to look in more detail at the specific qualities of a Gabbeh rug. Now that you have a general idea of what the rug is and the history it bears. It will help make the Gabbeh rug one of the region’s elites.
One of the instant identifiers of the Gabbeh rug’s quality is that is over 100 knots per square inch. This thick rug can really pull its own weight!
The Gabbeh rug is perfect for an authentic tribal rug.
Gabbeh rugs typically contain anywhere between four to seven dyed colors in the pattern, and while this may not seem like a lot, it helps enhance the simple charm of the rug.
Because most Gabbeh rugs online display only geometric shapes (usually rectangles) and simple animals, the relative lack of color variety is not a disadvantage for this rug. In fact, it helps identify the rug and secure its position as culturally unique.
So how long does it take to make an Indo Gabbeh rug? Obviously, this depends on the size of the rug, but a nine-by-twelve piece would take anywhere from ten to twelve months. This should immediately show you the quality and effort that goes into making every single Gabbeh rug!
Gabbeh Rug Pricing
I know. At this point you must be thinking: a product steeped in rich cultural history and made with all natural dyes must be like what a million dollars?
You will be glad to hear that this is not the case. They are quite simple but it’s making it’s too tough. The patterns are often simple, and the material is much rougher than other rugs. So this means you can get a Gabbeh rug (or any Gabbeh runner) at very reasonable prices many even sell for less than one thousand dollars. These Indo Gabbeh rugs sell for prices that won’t break your wallet.
This is great for anyone except for those living in the US. After the US lifted embargos on Iran in 2000, Gabbeh rugs became a commodity in the US as well. This meant that the demand for the rugs increased, and the price subsequently decreased. After that, the tensions between the US and Iran caused an embargo. And now the product is no longer available in the US. Products from Iran, including rugs from Iran, are no longer available for US consumption. The Gabbeh rug is a product to keep in mind, and definitely one to pick up if you find for sale second-hand. Though these rugs may prove to have an odd future, rugs made in the Gabbeh style, are the great design and collectors’ items. Therefore, If you find any Indo Gabbeh or Gabbeh rugs for sale, snap them up! Any primary color rug will make your house special!
What a Gabbeh Rug Can Do for You
Okay, so that’s great and all. But what can a Gabbeh rug do for me? You want a rug that boasts of uniqueness and difference, and honestly, you can’t get that with just any ordinary rug. Gabbeh area rugs (like most Afghan wool rugs) will give you just enough touch of the exotic they will provide you with beautiful designs from different cultures. The Persian Gabbeh rug is perfect for those looking to provide a tribal feel to their homes and it’s a great way to show a different culture to others. With Gabbeh rug, you will become part of a long tradition, started centuries ago in the Zagros Mountains. You will also be able to expose this tradition to others. This cultural phenomenon, kept alive by such masters as Abbas Sayahi (and potentially by you!), is great to read about, sure but it’s even better to own. Participate in the movement! You can never go wrong with antique style rugs or vintage style rugs!
Conclusion
Gabbeh rugs are part of a whole body of Afghan tribal rugs have a long history of unique artistry that complements any household. The simple afghan rug designs on the rugs boast of only the highest-quality natural dyes handed down through generations of masters from the Zagros Mountains.
Without a doubt, this makes the Gabbeh rug one of the world’s finest artistic traditions and one of the only rugs that combine such a high level of artistry, tribalism, and culture at such a high and distinct level. Any home adorned with these rugs will automatically earn this high distinction. We highly urge you to see the area rugs for sale yourself at ABC online rug store! We can guarantee that it will be everything you imagined and more.