Pirot kilim

 

 

During the centuries the most important branch of manufacturing industry was kilim production. In the city of Pirot, it was the original carpet weaving production linked to the urban locality which was done by the poor woman – weavers.

The Pirot kilim-weaving went through several phases in its development: given the fact that the Pirot production of kilims was fully formed in the 16th century, that period is taken as the first phase in its development. In the 2nd phase (17th-18th century) carpet production became advanced. A vertical loom was used in one piece. In the third phase (19th century), this kind of carpet-weaving reached a high level of technical and artistic possibility. And value.

The color red prevails in the kilim in a numbers of nuances ranging from a pale red to the dark-sour-cherry red. It was made from incest dyes and was used to weave the field. There is a good deal of blue made from a natural indigo with a little yellow added. The ornaments in the Pirot kilim are always whether they depict a bird, a flower, a dove or an object in the direct environment of the weaver. Woman-weavers created all the patterns out of their own inspiration using objects in their homes and around them as their inspiration using objects in their homes around them as their models.

The Pirot kilim was often received as a valuable gift either in private or political contacts, it was a precious award and finally a young girl’s dowry. There are kilims for floor coverings, for the walls, for bedspreads and furniture covers. Between 1904 and 1940, the Pirot kilim were shown at 26 fairs in Europe and it were awarded prizes.

Caused by numerous reasons in the second half of the 20th century both the production and the sale of the Pirot kilim kept falling. The weaving of kilims is an arduous, long-lasting task. That is reason why the kilim has always been an expensive product. Traditional crafts work was never adequately rated in the economic activity.


 

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