Afshar rugs are made by tribal groups which used to live in Northwestern Iran. Traditionally, the nomadic Afshar weavers working on these rugs are all women. During the 16th century, they exiled to the city of Kerman in the southeast of Iran where today live the semi nomads from the Afshar tribe (also known as the Avsar). Afshar means “obedient” in Farsi. The rugs of the various tribal groupings are closely related, and they are all considered Afshar’s. The Afshar tribal people speak both Turkish and Farsi.
Afshar rugs have short pile and use the primary colors that are easiest to create with natural dye. Older rugs had wool foundations; however cotton foundations are frequent in newer rugs. Afshar’s from the 19th century are known for their high quality craftsmanship and materials.
The wool was rich in lanolin which contributed to the sheen seen in older Afshar rugs. Typical Afshar rug is more square sizes than the typical standard Persian rug sizes. For example, they may measure closer to a 4×5 than a 4×6 as they are relatively wide in relation to its length. They are very distinguishable rugs and are by far the most eclectic Persian tribal rugs. Rustic in appearance with red and blue color tones and mostly geometrical patterns that feature depictions of the domesticated livestock animals, like chickens, that is important to their lives. The most frequent pattern contains a large center piece with one or more squared medallions, some say this symbolizes a hide stretched for preparation.
Persian Rugs – Afshar Rug
On the market Afshar rugs are also known under the name of Sirdjan.
They manufacture similar rugs in the nearby city of Shah Babak with a higher density and with more detailed patterns.
Afshar rugs vary in price, depending on materials and construction. Newer, coarsely woven Afshar‘s are more affordable, but you can pay up to several thousand for a well-made, well-preserved Afshar rug. Vintage rugs from the 1940s or even later are well on their way to becoming genuine antique rugs. They can say this for every type of Oriental rug.
How to care for Afshar Rugs?
It is important to know how to care for your rug. When properly cared for Persian and Oriental rugs can last for hundreds of years; however, continued use of a rug that contains household soil and grit will cause it to wear down, inviting in grime, household pests, and mildew.
We are sure you will want to pass yours down for generations. The best way to preserve is through great cleaning!
The best way to keep a rug clean is to keep your outdoor shoes out when entering the house (as people do in most rug-weaving countries), if this is in accords with your lifestyle. Bare-foot or sock-foot is much gentler to a rug than a hard outdoor-shoe sole or heels and leaving your outdoor shoes at the entrance to the house tracks in much less dirt.
For regular maintenance, be sure to vacuum often and not use any chemicals on your rug. If you need a professional deeper cleaning, choosing Wiz Team’s Rug Cleaning Service will save time and grant you peace of mind.
Your rugs should be professionally cleaned regularly – not only when it really needs it. For most rugs in our area this will mean a yearly cleaning.
For any maintenance questions, you can rely on Wiz Team’s Master Rug Cleaners – experts in the rug world.
They are beautiful and unique, Afshar rugs deserve the highest care – cleaning them is a delicate process.
Improper cleaning can damage your Asher rug and leave a messy residue. Wiz Team, Inc. is the ONLY Certified Master Rug Cleaning Company in Chicagoland area and our methods are fast, safe, and non-toxic. Your Afshar rug will look beautiful again!
In our next post we will discuss Ardabil (Ardebil) rugs and their rich history.
