I know I went on a discussion about green Bukhara’s. It is funny how life brings you many stories and experiences. I sold a rug book to a friend and am currently appraising 13 rugs! He is a retired pilot and spent many years in the Middle East with some of the coolest artifacts and artwork too! The rugs are assorted anything from an Indian Agra to signed Nains and Khal Mohammadi’s! There were a fair number of Jaldars, and since they are woven in Afghanistan and sold in Pakistan, I think the probability of them being easy to find at this time tough. I have been delving more into the story of Jaldars and want to share some of their cool facts. I went to the nail salon and was discussing my book signing with a neighbor who happened to s be there and got into a discussion with someone new to Coronado. They had worked for the state department. Today I looked at photos of some of the rugs: beautiful Isfahan some old Hamadan and Baluchis. What is way cool is they were in a remote Tunisian village of weavers and shared their photos. I think I may have to do another rug book in the future. She told me of a book I just ordered: Fabric of Civilization. I will share about it in the future. Rugs certainly are a language!
Jaldar handmade rugs are an Afghan design exported from Pakistan. These rugs are made with symmetrical knotting (single knot), with piles composed of treated or brushed wool which gives it a silk touch feel. Like most Afghan rugs they are exported from Pakistan due to the trade restrictions and difficulties within Afghanistan. Based on a cotton foundation Jaldars can be confused to Bokhara’s due to the similarities in design and materials. The difference between the two lies mainly with the guls used which are more angular and diamond-shaped in the Jaldar rugs like that in the rug above while the Bokhara rugs are more like the Turkmen rugs with rounder guls. The knot counts of fine-quality Jaldar rugs range from 120 to 240 KPSI. Jaldar rugs are made following an ancient Turkish knotting technique namely the Ghordies knot or the Senna knot. This style is what majorly contributed to the durability and longevity of Jaldar rugs, in addition to other factors, including the usage of high-quality wool.
Jaldi means quick and Ru means flow in the local Sindhi language spoken by the Sindh tribe. Jaldar means “quick flow” and describes the speed at which these handmade rugs are made, typically up to 4 months. Early Jaldar rugs are likely to have been produced in northwest Persia or around the town of Jaldar, close to the border with Armenia.
Many people confuse Jaldar rugs with traditional Bokhara rugs as well because both rug designs feature symmetrical patterns. The motifs on both rug designs are placed all over the rug surface in a form of rows. However, the difference is that the ‘elephant-foot’ motif used in Bokhara rugs isn’t used in the Jaldar rugs. In fact, the gul motifs on Jaldar rugs are more angular and have a shape that resembles a diamond. Unlike this, the guls on a Bokhara rug are rounder, such as those in the Turkmen rugs. They work every day, tying each knot with their hands for a time of 5-6 months, even more sometimes depending on the rug’s size. Their designs have a resemblance to Yomoud and Sarouk patterns.
Although it is not known exactly when this style came about, some believe that they were first developed between 1800 and 1810 AD. They were originally designed as door and window covers. Jaldar handmade rugs originated from the northwestern region of India known as Sindh. This area is in Pakistan today. Their origins date back to the fifth century during the early empires of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. They are also thought to be direct descendants of the famous Persian Sarouk rugs as well. Like many other Persian and Pakistani rugs, Jaldar rugs are made of wool and cotton. The base or foundation of a handmade Jaldar rug is made of high-quality cotton, whereas soft luxurious wool is used to create the rug pile. Jaldar rugs are made of brushed or treated wool that gives the feeling of silk fibers. Its usage for rug creation helps make artifacts that appear soft like velvet and look magnificently charming. The cotton foundation makes it easier to take care of the rugs and stops the rugs from getting damaged under the weight of heavy furniture items.
Jaldar rugs are famous for their unique and intricately woven designs and their intricate patterns. The most striking feature is the double border. Jaldar rugs are also made with traditional designs and patterns (most notably an octagon medallion) but can also come with a single border. Because of the double ikat method of weaving, which gives them their unique look. If you like share your photos or experiences cleaning them.