Description
Kazaks are a type of Armenian rug design that originated in the south of the Caucasus region, between Tiflis and Erevan. The production of rugs in the Caucasus region is limited, only done in a few villages, therefore these beautiful designs are being reproduced by Afghan weavers in the northern (Turkoman tribes) and central (Hazara tribes) parts of Afghanistan. The transitional design take the motifs and designs of a traditional carpet but update it for today’s trends. The transitional kazaks tend to be woven in muted, modern gray and brown palettes which complement today’s homes beautifully. They also differ in that these designs almost always lack the traditional intricately woven border characteristic of a Kazak carpet, giving the rugs a contemporary look that highlights the color choices. The vegetable dyes most commonly used are madder, the root of a spindly bush, which is used to create a red color, walnut peel for dark brown, pomegranate peel for light brown, and sparak, which is a wildflower from the steppes, is used for yellow. The process of making a rug includes cleaning, washing and dyeing the wool which is sourced from local villages.
Herat Oriental works with over 2,000 village weavers to create beautiful, authentic, handmade rugs. The majority of the weavers are women, who live in the villages of Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. As we grow, we are able to create more jobs for female weavers who otherwise would not have the opportunity to do so. The community also thrives from rug weaving as the local farmers benefit from wool sales, and the local artisans create natural and vegetable dyes for the weavers to use in their designs. Due to the handmade nature of our rugs, the size may vary from as advertised by 3-4 inches. Regular vacuuming and annual professional cleaning will keep your rug looking new for years to come.
