Hamadan Shahrbaft

The city of Hamadan is situated around 300 km west of Tehran in the western part of Iran. Carpets knotted in the neighbouring villages and towns surrounding the city are sold in Hamadan, a city commonly known for being a centre for carpet trading. Hamadan is one of the oldest cities of ancient Persia and also one of its most productive and diverse weaving centres. Finer carpets of higher quality are sold under their own city or village names such as Hosseinabad, Toiserkan, Nahavand, Malayer, Enjilas, Lillian or Zanjan and the simpler qualities under the generic term Hamadan. In general, Hamadan carpets tend to be good quality utility carpets and make for a great investment. With proper care, these carpets can last for many years and be passed on for newer generations to enjoy. Due to the great ethnic variety and sheer number of villages in the province of Hamadan, there is a great variety of carpets and carpets with medallions as well as repeat patterns can be found. The most typical all-over pattern being the Herati pattern. Hamadan carpets are predominantly found in various shades of indigo blue and madder red with softer ivory beige details that provide beautiful contrast. Older Hamadan carpets are a rare find today, often referred to as Shahar-baff (city-knot), they boast a higher quality and enjoy a good reputation, especially among collectors.