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Goltug, Gholtogh, Koltuk, Koltug
(Generally durable and tough carpets.)

North-east of Bidjar is the town of Goltug. The carpets are knotted by resident Kurds. In the 1970s, these carpets did not have a great reputation and the quality level was too low. Luckily, this has changed, and you can now find some lovely, rustic and durable carpets on the market. The carpets are in the mid-price range, where you get a lot of quality for the money. The patterns consist of hexagons and the Herati pattern as well as small stylised animals and flowers. The warp and weft threads are cotton, the Ghiordes knot is used and the knot density is between 14,000-18,000 knots per ft2. The colours are usually a mix of natural and synthetic dyes., In the 1990s, there were many Goltug carpets on the market. This is no longer the case.

Bidgoneh, Bidgeneh, Bitgoneh, Bitganeh Bidgoneh carpets originate from the same area as Goltug carpets. They are in many ways comparable, but the Bidgoneh carpets are more finely knotted and you do not see as many on the market.

Read more about Bidjar carpets:

Bidjar, Bijar Gerus, Garus, Geruz

(Generally durable and tough carpets)

The carpets from the towns of Bidjar and Tekab, as well as from the nearby villages, are famous for their special knotting technique and the high quality. They are among the sturdiest carpets you can buy. The genuine Bidjar carpets are some of the heaviest and, relative to the thickness of the yarn, some of the most densely knotted carpets available on the market. In the old days, Bidjar carpets had a reputation for being indestructible and the strongest carpets in the Orient. This is no longer the case. Among the newer carpets from the area, you can find quality levels that in no way live up to this reputation. If you want to get your hands on a true Bidjar carpet, you have to buy one from one of the few producers that has remained faithful to old traditions or you can look for an older carpet. Over the course of our careers, my family and I have only seen a handful of genuine Bidjar carpets get worn-out through normal use. It is almost impossible. The patterns are often Herati, framed in a large, rhombus-shaped stylised medallion. A different pattern that was common in the past is rose-bidjar, with a round medallion and flower vines, but with the rustic look of the Bidjar carpets. It is rarely seen on the market these days. About 50 km north-west of Bidjar is the town of Tekab. Here, carpets are being made that are easy to confuse with Bidjar carpets. In this area, Afshar tribes used to knot carpets, so these carpets are therefore called Afshar-Bidjar on the market. Pattern-wise, the Afshar-Bidjar carpets are a bit more rounded and with additional floral motifs. They are slightly softer in their structure and typically have a clearer, red ground colour than the other Bidjar carpets, which usually tend towards rust or plum colours. When you want to transport a genuine Bidjar carpet, it should be folded with the pile facing outwards. This way, it does not place as much strain on the backing fabric. However, it is better to roll the carpet, if possible. A Bidjar carpet can be very stiff because it is usually beaten very hard during the knotting process. The warp and weft threads are usually cotton, but a bit of polyester is often mixed into the cotton to strengthen it. They generally consist of densely-knotted carpets, and they use both Senneh and Ghiordes knots. The density can vary as much as from 18,500 to 93 ,000 knots per ft2. However, it is most common to find them with densities of 23.000-46.000 knots per ft2.

Source:
You are reading an extract from the book ‘Oriental Carpets, Knottet with Love’ by Martin Munkholm.
This extensive book about all that is carpets can be borrowed in Danish libraries or be bought following this link: https://belle-rugs.dk/se-taepper/bog-aegte-taepper-knyttet-med-kaerlighed/

The book is published by Muusmann Forlag.
For more info: http://muusmann-forlag.dk/

See video about Goltug rugs here: https://www.youtube.com/embed/n6BCQ-lLKfs 

You can find our selection of Goltug rugs underneath