Vintage kilim from Pirot, Serbia. 200x118 cms

Would you like to live in the Garden of Eden, surrounded by birds and lush vegetation?

Now you can with this charming vintag kilim from Pirot, where the weaver has realistically crafted a vibrant scene of a large bird surrounded by botanical motifs! The bold dark border also creates a lush environment, framing the main scene with rich foliage. An unusual motif for a kilim, offering a unique sense of nature and tranquility.

Material: 100% hand-spun sheep wool

Size: 200×118 cms

Origin: Pirot, Serbia

Date of weaving:1970s

Pirot kilims, or Pirot ćilim (Serbian Cyrillic: Пиротски ћилим, romanized: Pirotski ćilim) refers to a variety of flat, tapestry-woven rugs traditionally made in Pirot, a town located in southeastern Serbia. The Pirot kilim is often regarded as one of Serbia’s national symbols. Although Pirot is the historical hub for this unique style of carpet weaving, the Pirot kilim is part of a broader tradition of Balkan rug-making, with Pirot-style carpets found across the region, extending from modern-day Bosnia to Turkey. Carpet weaving in Pirot has been a long-standing practice, dating back to the Middle Ages.

The first known written reference to the Pirot kilim dates to 1565, when it was noted that šajkaši boats on the Danube and Drava rivers were covered with Pirot kilims. Historically, Pirot was once considered the most important carpet-making center in the Balkans, situated along a major trade route connecting Central Europe to Constantinople (now Istanbul).