The word Gabbeh means rough or raw or unclipped in Farsi, the Persian language. Gabbeh rugs usually spelled as ‘Gabbe’ are prepared by the Qashqai people from near Shiraz, in southern Iran. A Gabbeh is a conventional and well known type of Persian rugs woven since old times and are one of the world's best rough woven Iranian tribal rugs. The high quality wool used in the rugs that are made is provided by the sheep and goats reared by the people of Qashqai.
These rugs made of local but high quality wool are called Gabbeh meaning rough as these rugs are woven flat, which makes it thick and dense but at the same time are soft and has a classy and well designed feel. The patterns are very simple and well organised with human and animal presentations or some geometric shapes or stripes or a combination of two and more. Due to the basic and simple styling and colors not too bright they can be suited for furnishing. The scenes of hills and colorful flower fields woven with not of much intricacy and in deep colors they are very pleasure giving for the eyes.
The Persian Gabbe can be of various types. Baluch Sumak, a flat woven rug in its design but is a fine-detailed with elegant looks. Luribaft Gabbeh is typically more complex in its design as compared to other kinds of Gabbe. Kashkoli Gabbeh is fine, short and basic kind of Gabbe with colorful geometric design. Amalehbaft Gabbeh is plain and simple Gabbe having a medium weave as far as the knots-per-inch and thicknesses are concerned. Gabbeh Sumak is stylish and has its tribal designs which are woven with different colors. Gabbeh rugs carry their tradition along and are one of their kinds.
