Bakhtiyari kilim – Exhibition ‘South Persian Tribal Rugs’

Bakhtiyari kilim
from central Persia
early 20th century
Size: 420 x 116 cm

The Bakhtiyari are considered by many to be part of the Luri group and indeed speak a dialect of the Lurs language. The distinctions between the tribal weavings of the two groups remains unclear. There is however a third weaving group attributed to the villages of the Chahar Mahal district which are populated by the Bakhtiyari and other groups of Kurdish and Turkish speakers who have nevertheless adopted Bakhtiyari garb and custom.
These village weavers make predominantly pile rugs of the ubiquitous garden design but also kilims in interlocking tapestry technique featuring typically vibrant colours.