Lori | 298 x 247 cm | Nr. Z-21

Mottled Lori, light red with colour gradient

Origin	Pakistan
Dimensions	298 cm x 247 cm (= 7.36 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: wool (hand-spun, natural dyes) Weft & Warp: cotton
knots per m²2	120.000
Pile height	10mm
Condition	new
Colour	Light red
Edition	one-of-a-kind piece

Origin

Lori rugs are a finer version of the Gabbeh, which was traditionally knotted by the Lurs. The Lurs are a tribal people in south-western Persia (also known as Loristan). Lori (or Luri) rugs are also referred to as Loribaft. The added syllable "baft" means roughly "knotted". Translated, Loribaft therefore means Lur knotting.

Lori rugs traditionally have inventive geometric patterns in colourful designs. Modern Loris are usually plainer these days, with monochrome designs. Even so, you still come across traditional, stylised and geometric motifs from everyday nomadic life, such as goats, camels, dogs, plants or people. The geometric pattern and the friendly colours create a pleasant, warm atmosphere at home.

Pattern

The surface of this Lori has a mottled look. The changes in shade and the light-and-dark gradations of the pile yarn run across the length of the rug, letting the colours shimmer and making the rug forgiving of dirt. These so-called colour shifts, abrash, give the rug a livelier feel. The mottling occurs because the wool of this Lori was hand-spun. During dyeing, the natural pigments are absorbed to differing degrees.

The colours of this Lori form a gradient and flow into one another.

The colour of this Lori is light red.

Material

This hand-knotted Lori rug has a dense, relatively high pile. The sheep's wool used for the pile of Lori rugs is particularly fine and rich in lanolin. Lori rugs are wonderfully cosy and hard-wearing. Traditionally, Lori rugs – like the Gabbeh – were used for sleeping on. They invite you to sit and lounge about in the living room, but are just as good in hallways and dining areas. The sheep's wool pile of Lori rugs is dyed with natural colours and hand-spun. That is what gives the Loris their soft surface. Hand-spun wool is always slightly irregular. During dyeing, the natural pigments are absorbed to differing degrees. The rug gains a livelier feel, with so-called colour shifts (abrash), that is, light-and-dark gradations of colour. The changes in shade of the pile yarn always run across the length of the Lori and make the rug forgiving of dirt. The weft and warp threads of this Lori are made of cotton. This versatile material is tear-resistant and stretchy, which makes it especially well suited to a hard-wearing foundation weave.