Gabbeh

Gabbeh is the name of a special rug woven by the Lori and Kashghai tribes. It is coarsely woven, made from hand spun wool and dyed in plant-based dyes. Gabbeh has light colours and a thick pile. 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 bent and sewed up. 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.