The Oriental Collection - Catalog - Page 18
REZAS CITY RUGS
Bidjar Zandjan
Bidjar is a city of about 50,000 people in the north-western province of Kurdistan.
It lies in a fertile valley surrounded by arid mountains, and there are no significant
monuments. The city serves primarily as a market centre for the surrounding villages.
Its recent history is dramatic, as the city was occupied first by the Russians and
then by the Turks, during the First World War, leading to a famine that significantly
reduced the population. These events are mirrored in the city’s rug production.
Before the First World War, Bidjar Zandjan rugs were coarsely yet firmly knotted,
with wool warp and weft. Later, they became finer and had cotton bases. The Bidjar
patterns are often Herati, but sometimes a Mahi pattern can be seen. The colours
are usually striking reds with a light trimming.
Bidjar rugs have a knot density of between 350,000 and 450,000 knots per sqm
and are knotted so strongly that you risk breaking the knots if you fold them together
with the pile facing inwards. When folding Bidjar rugs, it is important to always fold
with the pile facing outwards. You can clearly feel that much more wool is used in a
Bidjar rug than in most other rugs. They feel a lot heavier when compared to many
other types of oriental rugs and they are not as easy to move around when they are
lying on the floor.
34
35
