Bijar Rugs

Bijar rugs are the workhorses of the Persian rug world — and among its most beautiful. Woven in and around the Kurdish town of Bijar in western Iran, they have earned the name “the Iron Rugs of Persia” for a reason: a weaving technique found almost nowhere else produces a rug so dense and tightly packed that it can last for generations in the busiest rooms of a home. Borokhim’s has specialised in Bijar rugs since 1972 and carries one of the largest selections in the United States, from room-size antiques to small accent pieces.

What makes a Bijar rug different
During weaving, Bijar weavers wet the wool wefts and beat them down with a heavy comb, compacting the foundation far more than in other Persian rugs. The result is a rug that is unusually heavy for its size, stiff enough that it should never be folded (always roll a Bijar), and extraordinarily resistant to wear. A Bijar from the 1920s can still be in daily use today — many of ours are.
Older Bijar rugs were woven on a wool foundation; from the early twentieth century onward, most use a cotton foundation with a wool pile. Both are hand-knotted with the symmetric (Turkish) knot, and knot counts range from a sturdy 100 per square inch to well over 300 in the finest examples.

Designs and colours
The classic Bijar design is the Herati (or “mahi”, meaning fish) pattern — a small repeating motif of a rosette inside a diamond, flanked by curling leaves — often set around a central medallion. You will also find the Mina Khani all-over floral lattice, the Garrus arabesque with its bold, open scrollwork, and large-medallion designs on open fields. Colours are deep and confident: rich madder reds, indigo blues, ivory and soft camel, with accents of green, gold and rose. Because the wool is dense and lustrous, Bijar colours tend to deepen handsomely with age.

Types of Bijar rug
Bijar (Bidjar) — the classic village and town weaving, typically on cotton, in room sizes from 4×6 to 12×18 feet.
Halvai Bijar — the finest grade, with a higher knot count and more detailed drawing, often attributed to the Halvai family workshops.
Afshar Bijar — tribal-influenced pieces with bolder geometry and warmer palettes.
Small Bijar rugs and runners — scatter sizes, mats and hallway runners that bring Bijar durability to entryways and kitchens.
Choosing a Bijar rug
Turn the rug over: the back should feel firm and the knots tightly packed, with little give. Lift a corner — a genuine Bijar is noticeably heavy. Look for natural wool with a soft sheen rather than a dry or brittle feel, and for colours that are saturated without being harsh. Antique and vintage pieces may show gentle, even wear; that is character, not damage, provided the foundation is sound. Every Bijar in our collection has been inspected and, where needed, professionally cleaned and repaired in our own workshop.

Caring for a Bijar
Vacuum without the beater bar, rotate the rug once a year, and keep it out of direct sun to preserve its colours. Never fold a Bijar; always roll it. For deep cleaning, repairs or a written appraisal, our Madison workshop has handled Bijar rugs for more than fifty years.

Prices and viewing
As with all fine hand-knotted rugs, prices depend on age, size, knot density and condition, so we quote each piece individually — click Request Price on any rug below. Madison-area customers are welcome to visit the Monroe Street showroom or take a rug home on approval to see it in their own light.