Fine Afghan Samarkand rug with neutral grey-brown main colour with design of animals, amulets and plants.
A rectangular hand-knotted fine Afghan Samarkand wool rug with a traditional geometric and floral pattern, featuring cream fringe on the top and bottom edges. The colour palette is dominated by warm grey-brown and detail tones in blue, ochre, rust and cream.
An oriental-style fine Afghan Samarkand rug with an intricate multi-coloured pattern, featuring a grey-brown squirrel field colour, and cream fringe on the ends, shown from an elevated angle on a white background.
A modern Afghan-style handmade Samarkand rug with an intricate geometric and floral pattern, featuring a neutral grey-brown base with accents of terracotta, rust, and burgundy, finished with white and multicolour fringes on the ends.
A close-up of a traditional handwoven modern Afghan Samarkand rug with a geometric and floral pattern in muted earth tones, including brown, beige, red, blue, and orange.
A close-up of a traditional patterned Samarkand Afghan wool rug with a warm taupe-gray base and intricate motifs in rust red, blue, beige, and brown.
A close-up of a traditional handwoven modern Afghan Samarkand rug with a beige-gray base and multicolour geometric and animal motifs, finished with a fringed edge.
Close-up of the hand-knotted weave of a patterned fine Afghan Samarkand rug with a dark L-shaped metal ruler placed along the corner to show the quality and density of the knotting.

Vendor:The Oriental Rug Merchant Ltd

Fine Afghan Samarkand rug

£549.00

Rug Size: 148 x 106cm

Underlay to match the size of this rug

Buy Foxi Rug Underlay by rug size

Size: 150 x 90cm

£22.50

Evoking a feeling of ancient Central Asia this tribal-style modern Afghan rug takes it's name from the Uzbek city of Samarkand, one of the most famous trading hubs on the Silk Road.

Samarkand played a major role in long-distance trade. Goods such as silk, spices, glassware, metals, paper, and precious stones passed through the city. It also became a centre for the exchange of religions, languages, technologies, and ideas—not just goods.

The colours and design of this fine Afghan Samarkand rug

This fine Afghan Samarkand rug is characterised by its enchanting design showing a geometric theme of an arrangement of plant, animal and amulet emblems. 

The colours of this tribal style Afghan rug are equally appealing. These are discreet colours. It displays a neutral main colour which is a squirrel grey shade, as well as an abundance of supporting shades such as blue, rust, ochre, brown and gold.

Using this fine Afghan rug in your home

This fine handmade Afghan rug is an appealing choice not only for it's colours and design, but it is also an incredibly useful size. Measuring 148x106cm or 4'10x3'6, this rug is a versatile choice that can be placed in numerous rooms in your home. 

This rug is a practical choice because of it's sensible colour-scheme, but also as it was made with hard-wearing natural materials. The pile is naturally dyed and made with hand-spun sheep wool. Afghan wool has a reputation for its durability as well as being luxurious. The added benefit of hand-spinning the woollen yarn is that the fibre can be twisted tightly thereby forming a stronger yarn.

Partner this Afghan rug with an anti-slip rug underlay if you're planning on using it on hard flooring or fitted carpet. This will firstly stop it from slipping or creeping, and secondly from a safety aspect, will help prevent slips and trips. 

Find out how this Samarkand rug was made

The way that this modern handmade Afghan rug was made is little changed from how rugs were made in the days of the Silk Road. This Samarkand rug was handmade by the ancient rug making method of hand-knotting the woollen pile. 

Hand-knotting rugs is a particularly protracted process - it takes time to make a hand-knotted rug. It takes time because each and every tuft of pile is made from a hand-tied knot. In a rug like this there will be hundreds of thousands of knots contained within it, possibly something like quarter of a million knots! 

This Afghan Samarkand rug would have been woven by one weaver. The knots are tied in rows spanning the with of the loom, followed by woven weft threads. And so on. All of the different coloured knots contained in this rug combine to make the pattern. 

With this in mind, this is a rather special piece that you can use in your home and maybe in time pass on to future generations. 

Key details: 

  • Country of origin: Afghanistan
  • Size: 148×106cm / 4’10″x3’6″ 
  • Thickness: 5mm
  • Pile: Wool, hand-knotted
  • Warp: Cotton
  • Age: New

 

In stock! Ships within 1-2 business days.

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Need advice? We can advise on the best purchase for your requirements.

14 day return policy
Frequently asked questions about Afghan rugs

Oriental rugs are renowned for their longevity and can often last for generations. 

I’d like to buy it, is the rug shown the rug I’ll get? 

Yes, all of our rugs are handmade and the vast majority are one-of-a-kind. This is the exact rug you will receive. No substitutions.

I’m interested in this rug, but would like to see it before I decide – can I come and see it at your shop? 

Of course! All of the rugs displayed and shown as in stock on our website are available to view and buy in-store.

How quickly will I receive my rug and how much does delivery cost? 

We aim to dispatch our Rugs as quickly as possible. Deliveries in the UK are generally achieved in 2-3 working days. Within the UK there is no carriage charge for rugs.

I’m not located in the UK, will you send it to destinations outside of the UK?

Please contact us, referencing which rug you would like to buy and your delivery address to find out shipping costs.

How long will my rug last? 

Hand-knotted Rugs and Handwoven Rugs are extremely long-lasting items. If properly looked after Oriental Rugs can outlive their owner and maybe even last for generations. In many cases rugs improve with age.

Will the colours of my rug fade? 

Handmade Oriental rugs will soften in colour over time. Of course, like any textile, if the rug is used in an area of strong sunlight, such as in a Conservatory for instance, the fading process will be more rapid. During days of strong sunshine, it is good practice to draw the curtains or blinds to keep your Oriental rug looking at its best.

Will the colours transfer onto the flooring underneath? 

This is a tricky one to answer! If only we had a crystal ball! There is a risk. Our rugs are all handmade and made with artisan dyes. All of our rugs are thoroughly washed prior to export and any excess dye should come out in the washing process. However, on the odd occasion, the dye can still sometimes transfer. This phenomenon is increased by humidity and temperature, and is regrettably irreversible. If you are concerned about this possibility, perhaps consider using an Underlay to put a barrier between the rug and the flooring/fitted carpet underneath.

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How do I care for my Afghan Rug

They are easy to care for, but here’s a few helpful pointers to keep your new Afghan rug looking great: 

Vacuum

Hoover it regularly – perhaps once a week. This is good practice as tiny dirt particles can cause premature wear. Vacuum it with just the nozzle suction, as rotating brushes can be abrasive. Try to keep the vacuum cleaner away from the fringes as this is probably the weakest point on an Oriental rug; fringes and vacuum cleaners don’t mix!

Rotate 

It is a good idea to rotate your Afghan rug on occasion. This will help prevent areas of concentrated wear. Foot shuffling when watching the TV is a prime culprit! Rotating your rug will also help to even-out any incremental changes in colour from exposure to sunlight.

Blot

Any spills should be blotted immediately: blot with kitchen towel or clean un-dyed absorbent cloth; avoid rubbing or scrubbing which can spread the spill or push the spill deeper into the rug.

Use a Rug Underlay

A good rug underlay will keep the rug in place, thereby preventing uneven wear and will help the rug keep from going out of shape.

Professional Cleaning

This is something that is required infrequently, perhaps every 3-5 years depending on use. Please contact us if you would like to have your rug cleaned as we offer a Rug Cleaning Service.