Gabbeh 12x16

The term gabbeh refers to the Persian word for natural, ray, or "in the rough." Even though the term describes the rug construction, rather than its origin, the name stuck. Gabbeh rugs were woven by tribes from the Zagros mountains, the largest range in Iran. The Qashqai tribe is most often associated with weaving the gabbeh rug, but other tribes such as Lurs, Kurds and Bakhtiari are also known to produce the same rug style.

Gabbeh rugs were coarsely knotted with long, and typically shaggy, piles on wider multiple wefts, creating a rug that is not as stiff as its predecessors. The more pliable craftsmanship allowed for the gabbeh to be used not only as coverings for colder floors, but as bedding or wraps to protect from bitter mountain cold. This particular gabbeh displays a vivid scarlet color which highlights the construction and the simplistic design.