Details:
Ghashgais are hand knotted on a ground loom by the Ghashgai tribe who live in the Fars upland near
Shiraz. The Ghashgai people are the most developed of the Fars tribes. The warp and weft are of cotton or
wool and the pile is wool. The variety and quality of the colours are superior and the numbers of Turkish
knots are about 100. The knotting on the better items can be extremely fine by nomadic standards, with
200 or more knots per square inch. Ghashgais are often confused with Shirazs -made in and around the
town of Shiraz using Ghashgai designs. Ghashgais are harder wearing, with a compact pile and faster, more
varied colours. Large items are rare and Ghashgai also produce delightful textile artifacts, including bags,
camel and donkey trappings and kelims.
Description:
Ghashgais are typically nomadic in design meaning there are lots of geometric and angular designs. The
motifs are simple and executed in bold straight lines and bright colours. Their repertoire is among the most
varied and visually exciting of any contemporary nomadic weaving tribe. It includes a wide spectrum of
boteh, medallion and repeating floral schemes, but the most common motif and one by which a Ghashgai
may be identified are the pole medallions and the hebatlu design which are like diamond shaped lozenge by
itself in the center of the carpet or repeated along the length twice or three times according to the size of the
carpet.
The diamond shape is usually light or dark blue and the field is almost always red and decorated with
stylized plant motifs. Ghashgais are also noted for the frequent inclusion in the field of tiny people and
animals, as well as the more customary floral and vegetable motifs. The most common colours are deep
reds and blues, but a variety of ochre and sienna are also used. The border is nearly always made up of a
number of narrow bands framing a wider band, which is often decorated with a motif resembling palm or
pine leaves. The edging bands are often separated from each other by a narrow band of diagonal stripes.
Price Range and Value:
LOW TO MEDIUM
Old Ghashgais are considered by many to represent all that is good in nomadic weaving, and contemporary
Ghashgai items, although rarely reaching the standards of their precursors, are among the most attractive
and desirable nomadic carpets made today. The finest old Ghashgai are extremely valuable and the better
contemporary items are almost certain to retain their value to a high degree. Ghashgais are by no means
high quality carpets but in terms of price and value, they are unmatched. Beautiful mixtures of designs and
colours have made Ghashgais a favorite of those who prefer nomadic and tribal carpets.