Kakaberu Tribal Rug
Origin | Iran (Persian)
Dimensions | 4'4" × 7'10"
Type | Hand-Knotted / Double-Wefted
Pile Material | Wool
Foundation Material | Cotton
Condition | Very Good
About Kurdish Kakaberu Tribal Rugs:
The Kakaberu rug represents a fascinating addition to the world of Persian rugs. This is a true tribal rug, which defies some of the expectations about traditional rug-weaving. The Kakaberu are a tribe living in a mountainous region, south of Senneh and Bijar, Kurdish villages known for their rugs and carpets. Bijar particularly has a robust rug presence in this predominantly Kurdish region of Iran, with a reputation for their “iron rugs”, which are beautiful and durable. Nearby, further south, are the Kurdish market towns of Sonqur and Kermanshah, centers of the rug and carpet market in the region.
Kakaberu rugs lack the finesse of the typical Bijar, but also produce their rugs under far different conditions. The Kakaberu live in rugged mountain terrain, and are known for being a highly expressive, creative, and fiercely independent people. Their carpets are coarse, but well-made and double-wefted, with a very solid foundation. Kakaberu rugs are very heavy, of heavy & thick pile, and like the Bijars, very durable. They are known for their somber & dark color schemes. Dark browns, dark blues and blacks are prominent. Reds are usually muted to a salmon, light brown, or mahogany. The central medallion often does not look like a typical medallion, but its anchor-like ends serve to draw the eye towards the zigzag structures at the ends of the rug, and the ends of the field are always black or dark blue. These rugs contain Bijar-like motifs, but many of them are used in a way that depart vastly from typical Bijar expression. Often the symbols and motifs remain unclear and mysterious. As with other rug-weaving communities, it is not unusual to find designs and motifs which have been appropriated/borrowed from other rug-weaving neighbors. With the Kakaberu, most of this is from fellow Kurdish tribes or communities, but sometimes designs find their way into the repertoire from more distant sources. For instance, the Maslaghan “lightning bolt” design is found in some Kakaberu rugs. Almost all of the Kakaberu rugs are of the kelleyi size, of 4-5 feet wide and 7-9 feet long.
PRJ Ford, 1994. Thames and Hudson, Oriental Carpet Design. With appreciation to this author, who has researched extensively and has more information available about the Kakaberu than almost any available resource.
Detailed Condition:
This rug is in very good condition. The rug's pile is mostly even with minor signs of wear. The selvedge and fringe are both intact and in good condition. The rug isn't a perfect rectangle which is a a very true characteristic of it being from nomadic people. These rugs are woven on a horizontal loom and are often packed up and moved to other locations. This rug has some fading of colors on one end of the rug as if it has had a good bit of sunlight exposure. This is a very unique piece of Iranian weaving and can last for generations.