Bijar
Bijar is frequently, and incorrectly, spelled Bidjar. The inserted “d” may originate from filtering the Persian name through Russian and French translations attempting to cope with pronounciation issues, but the correct spelling in both English and Persian is Bijar. The term denotes rugs from the town of Bijar in northwest Iran – in Walter Hawley’s marvelously redolent phrase, “one hundred miles beyond Hamadan, on the road to Tabriz”. The region’s population is largely Kurd and known for producing very densely knotted and durable rugs. Both kilims and pile weaves are found in Bijars. Early rugs incorporated three wefts on a wool foundation. One of these wefts was usually very heavy, giving the rug great stiffness. Later rugs have two wefts on a cotton foundation. A wide variety of patterns are found in Bijar rugs, including a group of fine arabesque Garrus designs from around the turn of the 20th century. Stylized willow and cypress designs are also found from the early 1900′s.