Aamu
The Aamu takes its name from the Amu Derya river which forms the border between Afghanistan and Central Asia. These carpets are woven by Hazara weavers and like other Hazara carpets are finely woven with a symmetrical (Turkish) knot and a supple handle. These rugs are woven on cotton foundations. The superior strength of the cotton foundation thread allows the knots to be tightly packed resulting in a more intricate and defined design. Aamu rugs are most often made in 19th Century Persian decorative designs.
Afghani
Afghani rugs and carpets are often woven of handspun wool, although Kahl Mahmet rugs, commonly from Andkhuy or Daulatabad, are generally woven with high quality New Zealand wool and chrome based chemical dyes (non fading, non bleeding). Pricing for Afghani rugs varies greatly. Although there is a low standard of living in Afghanistan, travel to the war-torn area is difficult. These rugs were purchased in the bazaars of Peshawar and Lahore, Pakistan.
Aryana
These carpets are woven by Turkmen weavers in Northern Afghanistan. They are woven using the Ersari knot which is an asymmetrical or Persian knot. The weaving is of medium fineness, approximately 90-100 knots per square inch. The name Aryana is an ancient name for the central Asian region which includes Northern Afghanistan.
Antique Aryana
These rugs are actually new production; the 'antique' comes from the finishing technique and also the coloration. A little lower pile than our Aryana, these appear to have a little age to them. They are generally also lighter in color - ivory, rusts and corals, light greens.
Azeri - no longer available
Azeri rugs were produced by Woven Legends in northeastern Turkey and made by Azeri and Kurd tribespeople who delight in a profusion of bright, primary colors. It is a discontinued production but we have a few pieces left. The weave has a heavy, Bidjar-like density. Wool comes from fat-tailed Karaman sheep that are summer-pastured in the high mountains. Dense fibers result in a hard, heavy yarn that is especially resistant to wear. Plants and roots used for dyes are grown locally. Each village forms its own cooperative, joining with other villages to establish dye centers and weaving schools for young people. We offer an educational video (This Beautiful Country) which presents the weaving culture of northern Turkey. We also have a book on the Azeri we can share.
Baghlani
Baghlani are a Pushto speaking tribe that migrated from Uzbekistan to Beluchistan within the past twenty years. Their rugs revolve around one basic design, often woven from memory. Whether rugs or runners, in each case there is a central medallion filled with palmettes, and a surrounding field filled with similar palmettes. Wool is hand spun, hand carded Karaqul wool from the mountains of Afghanistan, and the colors are derived from local natural dyestuffs. Baghlani are often woven on a wool foundation.
Bamiyan
This line takes its name from the mountainous central province of Afghanistan. These rugs are woven by Turkmen Weavers in Northern Afghanistan. This highly decorative line is finely woven and is Persian knotted with around 170 knots per sq inch. The rugs are inspired by 19th century designs from Iran, such as Sultanabad, Mahal, Tabriz and others.
Barrier Reef / Honu Grotto / Honu Family - discontinued production
These top quality, plush hand-knotted rugs are made in India using hand-spun wool and all natural dyes. They have no fringe. In addition to providing a unique area rug to your home, you can feel good knowing that a portion of all sales is used to help raise funding for coral reef restoration around the world.
Chobi / Peshwar
Chobi (Choe-bee) rugs are traditionally from the border region of Pakistan and Afghanistan. The word "chobi" itself is Farsi for "color like wood." Chobis tend to have large scale geometric floral patterns and like the rest of our productions, are also handknotted of vegetable dyed, hand-spun wool. Chobi's are a great introductory price-point in the category of fine hand-knotted rugs.
Ersari / Turkmen: Project for Cultural Survival
Those organization is dedicated to helping indigenous peoples retain their ethnic identity. In this case, the Project funds native tribal people whose culture has produced rugs for centuries. In both the Tibet and the Ersari projects, the proceeds are used to establish schools both for the weavers' children and for other tribespeople who want their children to learn to read and write. Since many of the students are girls, this will mark a distinct turn in their society's acceptance of women. In many cases, these children are the first in their family to develop these skills. We are proud to be associated with such a wonderful undertaking. Their product is wonderful as well.
Faryab
This line takes its name from one of the provinces of Northern Afghanistan that constitutes the homeland of the Turkmen, who are the weavers of the rugs. They are Persian knotted, as are all Ersari Turkmen weaving. The weaving is medium fine, around 150 knots per square inch. The designs are a combination of tribal village and decorative designs.
Gabbeh / Rizbaft Gabbeh *
Gabbehs have traditionally been woven by such nomads of southern Persia as the Q'ashgai and Luri, and weavers from the Khamseh confederation. Genuine Gabbehs stand out distinctively from other groups of rugs. Their abstract illustrations and expressionist colors do not harmonize with conventional notions of an oriental rug. Natural dyes are childlike and vivid, the pile is exceptionally thick, and the weave is loose. Gabbehs are extremely heavy and very thick. In Farsi (the language of Persia), the word Gabbeh means something raw or natural, uncut or "in the rough". Gabbeh are the world's best-known coarsely woven Iranian tribal rugs. Simple, colorful geometric patterns, abstract scenery, child-like representations of people and animals, bright colors. Gabbeh has long pile and abstract designs. Since the carpet is very thick and heavy, it was used as sleeping-mattress. The designs are made by the nomads, who pick on their experiences and adventures during their migrations and work them into their designs
Hazara
The Hazara, a Shiite Muslim tribe living in central Afghanistan who descended from the Mongols, have lived for centuries in the high mountains of the central Afghanistan. They weave low-pile rugs of finely woven lustrous wool and natural dyes, in distinctly geometric designs reminiscent of antique Caucasian rugs. They are made with Turkish, or symmetrical knotting, rather than with the Persian, or asymmetrical knotting found in most of our rugs. This knot together with the fine supple weave gives these carpets the look and handle of old Caucasian or Turkmen Carpets. The wool in these rugs is exceptionally lustrous and the natural dyes take to the handspun wool beautifully. These rugs glow. They still constitute a fairly limited production, and are certain to accrue value within the very near future. The weave is of medium fineness around, 120 knots per square inch.
Kashkuli *
The tribe of the Quashgai or Kashkuli from the Fars region of Iran has always made carpets with very dense knots. The patterns are presented to women in rudimentary designs. This lets them additionally contribute their own ideas. Produced by Zollanvari, these rugs are no longer in production. Incredible luster - people always ask if these rugs are silk.
Kazak
The largest group of the Caucasian rugs are Kazaks of various types. These are rugs made in south central Caucasus, stretching from Erivan in Armenia to Tiflis in Georgia. Kazaks were produced both as high-piled rugs from mountain areas and as low-piled rugs from the valleys, villages and settlements, many of which have their own easily recognizable characteristics and elements. Known for their bold designs and bright harmonious colors and good quality dyes, some of the most spectacular geometrically designed rugs found anywhere in the east originated here.
Mogoli Kilim
These kilims, or flat woven rugs, are woven by the Mogol people from the province of Baghlan in Northern Afghanistan. The designs range from Persian tribal to design from Anatolia, and include some that are indigenous to the Mogol people themselves. As with our Carpet lines, only vegetable dyes and hand spun wool are used.
Nooristan
This line takes its name from Afghanistan's remote and inaccessible province of Nooristan. It is one of the most finely woven lines of carpets produced anywhere with all natural dyes and hand-spun wool. It is woven by Turkmen weavers using the asymmetrical or Persian knots. The designs vary from the finely knotted carpets of the Persian tradition such as Kashan, Tabriz and farahan Sarouk to Mughal carpets and other less well known designs. With all hand-carded, hand-spun wool, the rugs are complex, delicate and intricate. The typical carpet contains at least 13 different vegetable dye colors and around 250 knots per square inch. The finely handspun wool used and the extraordinary weave give these carpets a subtle and beautiful character.
Shirvan
Shirvan is one of the principal weaving areas of the Caucasus stretching from the central east coast some 400 km inland and encompassing towns which produce particular design variations common to the Shirvan group. These include Bidjov, Marasali, Khila, Surahani, Baku and Saliani. The Shirvan rugs are noted as being some of the finest rugs from Caucasian. They are usually thin and densely knotted. The warp threads are usually light and undyed brown sheep's wool spun together. The wefts are light and thin, and selvages are usually white over double or triple threads. Cotton wefts are also seen, as are silk wefts
Tayok
Hand-knotted in Nepal by Tibetan refugee weavers, these "Animal Trappings" were used as a decorative headress on the lead animal in a caravan, often placed on the forehead of the mule or horse in front. Hard to find, we have three and they look fantastic grouped together as an art piece on the wall. Ours are new production, they have not been used on an animal.
Tibet 60 knot, 100 knot, Gaun Nauksha
From Project for Cultural Survival we purchase rugs made by Tibetan refugees in Nepal. 60 knot refers to the gauge of the wool used in the weave. 60 knot is a coarser yarn than 100 knot. Our Tibetan rugs are woven of lanolin-rich Himalayan highland wool, sheared from Tibetan sheep raised on the grasslands of the central plateau. This is a luxurious and hard-wearing long-staple wool resulting in rugs soft enough to be used as sleeping mats. Designs and colors are traditional, often modern and surprisingly sophisticated, and derive from the old Buddhist culture of Tibet. Younger weavers present us with Gaon Nauksha, folk rugs that picture village life. All dyes used are indigenous to Nepal.
Tibetan Folk Life Design
These imaginative carpets reflect the inherent skills and playful color sense of the Tibetan weavers. Each carpet is unique and special. Construction: Hand-knotted from Hand-spun wool. Tibetan Folk Life Design Origin: Hand-woven in Nepal.
Yomud Asmalyk
A five-sided weaving used to adorn the litter on a camel during a wedding procession made by the Yomut, one of the main Turkmen tribes from Central Asia, West Turkestan and North East Persia who weave rugs often with a deep aubergine background colour. These shaped rugs look particularly great in front of a fireplace as a hearth rug or in front of the kitchen sink.
Zamin
From the very small villages in the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh province in India come these wonderful thick carpets called Zamin. "Zamin" means earth or land, in both Persian and Hindi. The wool is hand-combed and hand-spun, then dyed with pure plant dyes collected from India and Nepal. These rugs are very heavy, all the weight is in the pile. A 10'x14' Zamin carpet weighs approximately 165 lb! Zamin carpet designs run a range from modern to classical Persian designs, but favor the more primitive designs such as Gabbeh.

*Little River Oriental Rugs hereby certifies that all Persian carpets, which includes our Rizbaft Gabbehs and some bargain rugs, are being offered for sale solely from stock in the United Stares. Such stock has been in the United States and fully owned by the company since prior to September 29, 2010 and is offered for sale only in full compliance with the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010.