Hamadan Rug

Hamadan rug, any of several handwoven floor coverings of considerable variety, made in the district surrounding the ancient city of Hamadan (Ecbatana) in western Iran and brought there for marketing. Several generations ago, many of these rugs were traded through Mosul and consequently were known as Mosul rugs.

The older pieces had a cotton foundation, with a single shot of weft carried across the rug after each row of symmetrical knots. Much camel’s hair in natural colours was used in the pile, often forming a broad band at the edges of the rug; but wool dyed in camel colours was a frequent substitute. Repeat designs and “pole medallion” schemes (medallions connected by a “pole”) were used, individual villages having their own stock patterns. A more recent production of relatively coarse and cheap rugs has been introduced, so that in late years a Hamadan has become synonymous with an inexpensive Persian.