Iran Daily - Gabbeh

Iran Daily: "Gabbeh Has Lost Originality

TEHRAN, April 15--The great demand for Gabbeh, a kind of traditional carpet woven by tribesmen as a family handicraft, has had an impact on its original design.
Expressing this, Ahmad Alizadeh, an expert of Iran Carpet Company, told CHN that since Gabbeh found its way to markets in cities, it gradually adapted itself to the designs which are on demand in the market.
He said that Qashqaei tribesmen of the southern province of Fars were the original craftsmen who wove the Gabbeh, but, after demands for this item grew, tribesmen in other provinces began to produce the same product.
He said that the original brand of Qashqaei Gabbeh is different from what is currently available in the market.
“Qashqaei Gabbeh is four centimeter thick because they used to spread it on stones and rough surface and they did not have more than 15 to 20 warps whereas the knots of Gabbeh being sold in the market are smaller than the original ones having more than 50 warps.
Alizadeh said that the girls of Qashqaei tribe used to weave a Gabbeh within one or two weeks, but now, the Gabbeh producers are using computerized designs to attract domestic and foreign customers.
He said that the warps of the original Gabbeh is 2-6 meters, whereas, the warps being utilized by the modern producers are wider than the original Gabbeh"