RUGS and tribal textiles always make unique and wonderful gifts. Saudi Arabia being home to a large number of carpet shops presents to the buyer an exciting array of very affordable weavings. Obviously, if a rug or a tribal textile is required for a present for a family member then your budget would not be as high as it would be if you were buying the weaving for yourself. However, having a low budget does not necessarily mean that you are restricted to viewing low quality items only. A fine example of a low-cost rug that usually displays good quality wool, consistent weaving, rich colors and aesthetically pleasing tribal designs would be a Yalameh. Tribesmen in the Fars province of Iran produce these delightful rugs. Yalamehs come in various sizes from a small rug to the larger room sized carpet. It is the smaller rug-sized Yalameh that is generally very affordable and would make a wonderful seasonal gift. One particular Yalameh to look out for is the rarely produced, small runner type, measuring only 1.85m x 0.79m. These charming and very attractive little rugs often display Qashgai and Shiraz influenced designs which include a vertical row of four or five latch hook medallions that are surrounded by a mass of abstract flowers, rosettes, s-forms and birds. The main borders commonly display a chain effect that is linked with stepped diamonds. An often-used guard stripe detail is the scepter head or keyhole detail, along with the traditional barber’s pole. The Yalameh weavers use a mixture of natural and synthetic pastel colors which include powder blues, rust browns, dark blues, soft pinks, greens and mushroom. A large amount of natural ivory wool is often used for highlighting the rug’s design.
Yalameh runners make excellent practical gifts. They are small enough in length to decorate any hallway or alternatively they can be placed in any sized room. Prices vary between SR400 and SR750.
Another weaving that would make an exceptional and unique gift would be a jollar (a narrow horizontal tribal tent bag). Most carpet shops will have a small collection of oldish jollars from the Tekke and Yomut Turkoman tribes. Ask to view them and look out for the jollars that look old, smell old and are peppered with holes. If the gul designs on the jollar are reasonably distinguishable then buy it.
The fact that the jollar may look rather tatty is soon lost if you have the jollar mounted onto black velvet and framed. After framing the jollar takes on the appearance of a museum piece and becomes an interesting focal point when hung onto a wall. Jollars cost between SR150 and SR350.
You could also search for some silk needlepoint work from Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. There are some very beautiful contemporary examples on display in some of Jeddah’s carpet shops. A recent consignment of truly magnificent raw silk cushion covers woven by the Afghan Turkoman weavers in northern Afghanistan can only be found at Rugs Oasis on Sari Street, Jeddah. Each cushion has a central square that displays very intricate needlepoint work in various designs and colors. The needlepoint work is aesthetically pleasing and is reminiscent of the fine Uzbek suzanis from the 19th century. These cushions would add splashes of color and vibrancy to any room and would make a wonderful and memorable gift for a family member. Each silk cushion cover measures 40cm x 40cm and costs approximately SR50 to SR60.
A trip to the Afghan souk in Jeddah and the Balkh carpet shop in particular would reveal to the seasonal shopper a wide selection of contemporary Uzbek suzani work. The selection includes full sized bed covers made from a cotton sheet with needlepoint work details in silk. The design details of these very decorative bed covers include large floral medallions in greens, reds and blues that are surrounded by swirling green vines and serrated leaves. These contemporary suzanis are nowhere near the quality of the very collectable 19th century suzanis they seek to imitate and hold little, if any, aesthetic value. However, as a gift, these ornate bed covers are ideal as they can be also used as an ornate table cloth. Prices range between SR250 and SR500.
Finally, there are attractive wool coasters made in Pakistan that sell between SR2 and SR5 each. Imaging little carpets, the coasters have a central design.
The colors of these coasters vary and they do indeed look rather impressive when placed around the home.
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— Arab News Review 30 October 2003