Rugs add a different character and dimension to any room. There are many types of handmade rugs to choose from, but tribal rugs are very common and beautiful. Here is everything you need to know about these rugs.

Tribal Rugs – The History

Tribal rugs came into being on the Caucasus Mountain, where the weaving began years ago. At that time, tribal people made hundreds of rugs with different designs, and the colors used in dyeing these rugs or the woolen strands were naturally obtained from plants, fruits, and vegetables.

The main gist of tribal rugs was to weave stories of different tribes and well-known people onto canvases and use them as décor for their homes. The material used at that time was sheep’s wool, where individual strands were looped and intertwined to create beautiful and timeless artworks.

The Pioneer Of Modern Knots In Rugs

Tribal rugs have a very interesting technique of weaving woolen strands on a canvas. The technique is known as a double-knotted weave and even now, it’s quite popular and a lot of rugs use the same weaving technique, it’s considered that tribal people were the first ones to ever use this technique in weaving rugs and they’re considered to be the pioneers of modern weaves in rugs.

This rug weaving technique is very easy to master and the best results are shown when the rug is woven by hand, rather than by a machine. This double knot weave also imparts great strength to these rugs which makes them durable and long-lasting which is another huge feature of tribal rugs that people know and love.

These rugs, because of their intricate weaving technique, are known to be low-pile rugs that are extremely easy to maintain and move around. They’re not as weighty either, so you’re not going to get a backache while trying to change the place of a rug. They’re also quite versatile and can be used in different rooms to give the décor an even more elevated look, so it’s a treat for the eyes.

Made For Private Use

One of the most interesting things about tribal rugs is that they were never introduced as a commodity to boost the industry. Tribal rugs first came into being, when people wanted to weave rugs with different patterns for themselves and use them in their own homes.

The intention was to simply decorate their houses and tribe meeting areas with rich colored rugs, but as time went on, tribal rugs gained a lot of popularity, and today, these rugs are being made and used all over the world as beautiful décor and artwork.

The people of different tribes were simple and nomadic, so they didn’t have any concept of making rugs on a large scale and distributing them for profit. They just wanted to weave rugs on their own and give life to symbolic things like wealth, prosperity, marriage, and hard work, in the form of wool rugs. But as simple as these rugs are, their popularity speaks for itself.

If you like antique rugs VA, you will also find antique tribal rugs that are more than 100 years old made by those nomads with natural materials as well as natural dye.

Types Of Tribal Rugs

Here are the different types of tribal rugs that are very popular among the masses.

Qashqai Tribal Rug

Qashqai rug is the most popular type of tribal rug. They are a thing of beauty to look at, and the patterns are to die for. Aside from geometric motifs and designs, weaving can also make patterns that symbolize things like wealth, enhancement, power, and fertility. These rugs are an antique collector’s dream and they’re also very beautiful.

On top of that, these rugs are considered to be the most environmentally friendly rugs in the realm of tribal rugs, so what’s not to love about them? Qashqai rugs are usually made out of wool, but you can also get them in cotton variants and the colors are all naturally sourced dyes, making this rug that much better.

Bakhtiari Tribal Rug

These rugs are woven by the Bakhtiari clan living in the Zagros Mountain in the southwest of Iran. The designs and patterns are the characteristic features of these rugs. The designs not only include geometric patterns but there is also artwork of mountains, scenery, and animals. These simple and intricate patterns are eye-catching, to say the least, and they can add a wonderful appeal to any room you put them in.

Afshar Tribal Rug

Afshar rugs are rugs made by people living on and below the Persian plateau. These rugs have a small range of colors, because of the unavailability of natural vegetable dyes, but the available colors are extremely bold and rich and they never fade away. The patterns are usually very unique and they can consist of geometric symbols and other tribal stories.

Usually, the colors in which Afshar rugs are available range from reds, dark oranges, purples, and dark browns to vibrant plums. These colors may sound very common but the beauty of an Afshar rug adds to the appeal. These rugs are also available in an abundance of sizes, from small prayer mats to floor-covering rugs, so there is something for everyone.

Baluchi Tribal Rug

Baluchi tribal rugs have an extremely rich history and the designs are a perfect embodiment of their culture. These rugs are made, generally, by the people of different tribes living in Persia and Baluchistan, and the Persian provinces where these rugs are made, include Sistan, Kerman, and other western villages of Iran.

These rugs have very special patterns, some of which can be stories weaved on thread, going through the tribal culture and the simple nomadic life of the people living in these provinces.

Quchan Kurdi Tribal Rug

Derived from the Persian province of Khorasan, Quchan Kurdi rugs are extremely luxurious, not just in appearance, but in other ways as well. This classification of rugs has a wide variety of different shades of red, burgundy, and purple and the designs are very beautiful.

They can consist of circular or rectangular motifs with borders, or the design can be a bit more on the abstract side as well. These rugs are exclusively made out of wool and even the embroidery and other knick knacks are also woolen, so a lot of the time, the Quchan Kurdi rugs are known as wool-on-wool rugs.

Gabbeh Tribal Rug

If you’re looking for more muted base colors in tribal rugs, then the Gabbeh rugs will be perfect for you. The design of a Gabbeh rug is extremely intricate and the motifs can be random and geometric. This allows each rug to be distinct and apart from others.

The colors available in this rug are ivory, rust, copper, light brown, and neutral taupe, which look wonderful in all sorts of interior décor. This rug also has a low knot pile and a lot of the time, it can range in thickness from 1/4th of an inch to 1 inch.

Conclusion

Tribal rugs have been around for a long time now, and while they were not as popular as other Persian and oriental rugs, they are now. The unique designs of tribal rugs Virginia are making them a popular choice.