Handmade navy Afghan Fine Kazak Carpet

This is an impressive large size handmade navy Afghan fine Kazak carpet. It measures 303x253cm, which is the approximate equivalent of 10 x 8. 

This fine Kazak carpet has a deep navy field colour with contrasting cream border. It contains a multitude of additional shades including rust-red, blue, green and ochre. 

The design is especially appealing. It displays a bold geometric pattern which is crispy drawn and is accentuated by the deep navy field colour. 

Some more about this navy Afghan Fine Kazak Carpet

This fine Kazak carpet was handmade in Afghanistan. It features eye-catching patterns which are influenced by antique Kazak Rugs. Kazak does not refer to Kazakstan, but actually a type of rug woven in the Caucasus. 

Antique Kazak Rugs (and Caucasian rugs in general) are desirable because of their bold rug designs and captivating colours. The fine Afghan Kazak carpets create this appealing look in a new rug that's ready to be enjoyed in your home. 

These handmade Afghan carpets are finely woven and are typically made in a quality of 110,000-150,000 knots per square metre. In addition to this, the pile height is cut short which serves to enhance the definition of the design. 

Where can I use this large rug?

This is a large rug or room size carpet and is a good choice for use in sitting rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms or even libraries. 

As well as the useful size, it will be an easy carpet to live with. It is a practical colour and heavily patterned so it is unlikely to show any marks. Furthermore, it is made entirely from hard-wearing natural fibres - so it will provide you with many years of enjoyment. 

The short pile thickness is an added benefit if you've got underfloor heating as it will allow for the heat to pass through it more rapidly.  

What can I do to keep it looking at its best?

Oriental rugs are known for their longevity. Therefore you do not need to give this Afghan carpet any particularly special treatment. 

Weekly vacuuming, but keeping the vacuum cleaner away from the fringes is good practice. Professional cleaning is something that cab be undertaken every five years or so depending on its use. 

Using a good underlay beneath it is a sound idea. It will keep the carpet in position as well as preventing uneven wear. 

What is it made from, and how was it made?

As previously mentioned, this large fine Afghan Kazak carpet was made using natural materials. For the pile: wool. For the foundations: cotton.

It was made with Afghan Ghazni wool for the pile. This is a type of wool native to Afghanistan which is perfect for carpet making. It is a durable type of wool and is rich in lanolin. The woollen yarn is hand-spun, the benefit of hand-spun wool is that it can be twisted much tighter than mill spun yarns. This results in a stronger, stiffer fibre. 

The warps and wefts are made of cotton. Cotton is fairly abundant in Afghanistan. It also makes for a fantastic foundation fibre for the knots to be tied onto. 

This navy blue Afghan carpet was made by a process of hand-knotting. 

How was this hand-knotted carpet made?

A handmade carpet of this size would have three weavers working on the loom. 

The process of hand-knotting is an ancient carpet making method. To briefly describe the method: the weaver will tie tufts of coloured wool onto pairs of warp threads, and this is what is known as a knot. The knots are tied in rows across the width of the loom. Once the row is completed, weft threads are woven between the warp threads and then beaten against the completed row of knots. The colours of the knots are determined by a paper plan of the design of the rug. Row-by-row the pattern becomes evident. 

Key details:

• Country of origin: Afghanistan
• Dimensions: 303x253cm / 9’11”x8’4”
• Thickness: 5mm
• Pile: Wool
• Warp: Cotton
• Age: New