Hamadan

(Posted on 27/08/22)

Made in dozens of small villages in a wide radius around the west central Persian city of Hamadan, they constitute some of the shoddiest and most unattractive items made anywhere in Persia (Iran) today. However there are also some well made and visually exciting examples produced in the region and even the poorer examples posses a certain primitive charm and village authenticity which is often the focal point of collectable appeal. Each village or small group of villages has its own distinct variations, but there are a few overall characteristics that unify them into one relatively cohesive group. The Hamadan palette is dominated by reds, blues and whites; with greens, gold and yellow ochres as subsidiary hues; the design repertoire is based on geometric medallion-and-corner, herati and boteh schemes, and those which employ detached floral sprays in an allover arrangement, similar to those employed in the nearby village of Sarouk. All Hamadan rugs are woven on cotton foundations, with 30 to 100 Turkish knots per square inch, using good quality pile wool, sometimes mixed with camel hair, which is clipped medium to medium/long. They are made in a wide range of sizes, though very large items are rare.