Painting& Art Jewelry
Ornaments of Serbia – the Pirot kilim
Tradition woven with feelings and craft
Searching for the origin and possible meanings of the Pirot kilim ornaments, this book offers a particular overview into the tradition of this female craft. This particular collection of rare and carefully curated photographs has been presented for the first time, especially for this luxury edition. The beauty, harmony and craftsmanship of the kilims inspire and amaze, and their aesthetics enrich contemporary interiors.
"Respecting the rich literature sources and the results of interdisciplinary research, the book Ornaments of Serbia – the Pirot kilim also strives to provide a new life to the artistic and symbolic form of Pirot kilims."
– Prof. Dr Zorica Tomić
"The author tirelessly explores the ornaments of the Pirot kilim, the most perfect form of traditional textile creation. "
– Marina Cvetković
KALEIDOSCOPE OF SERBIA
The Serbian tradition is rich in colorful symbols, and some of the most famous ones are found on Pirot kilim-rug.
The Pirot carpet is known in the world for its beauty and quality, the weaving technique, the raw material from which it is made and loomed, the stylized ornamentation, the richness of patterns and colors, durability. The peculiarity of the Pirot rug is that it has no reverse, is smooth and identical on both sides, which is achieved by firm weaving of the weft. They are woven in the technique of kneeling by making multicolored weft threads with patterns that are narrower than the entire width of the weave.
The Pirot carpet is protected by the geographical indication of origin (it is one of the few products from Serbia that is geographically protected and inscribed on the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Serbia.)
They have been made by hand for five centuries and the process is very slow. Making one rug is long and arduous - one woman working eight hours a day for a month can make only 80 square inches.
Pirot carpets used to be made of wool dyed with flowers and other herbs, which is becoming less common today. However, there is something that must not be changed in the weaving - that is, the way of weaving and the appearance of patterns and elements, as defined by the Study which contains the criteria for making Pirot rug and which weavers must adhere to. The Elaborate has officially collected 95 patterns and 122 elements.