Gabeh rug
southern Persia
1st half 20th Century
Size: 119 x 90 cm
Gabeh rugs stand out from other groups of oriental weavings through their bold reduced motifs, vibrant colour, relatively coarse knotting and long pile. The word Gabeh is said to derive from a similar word in Turkish meaning ‘unshorn’.
They are, in their peculiar artistic logic, completely unlike most other oriental rugs and sometimes are more akin to western minimalist art for which they were often seen as inspiration. They are made mainly by women of the Qashqa’i, the Lori and the Khamseh tribes of southern Persia.
