The last rug weaver (Jol Baaf) in Aran and Bidgol, Isfahan Province, whose hand-woven rugs have widely traveled across the borders of Iran, has died aged 86.
Nosrat Pourgholami, whom locals fondly called her Khaleh Nosrat (Aunt Nosrat), passed away on January 1.
She lived with her husband in Taghi Abad, a small village near Nushabad, and kept the tradition of rug-weaving alive till the day of her death. She was considered the last member of a generation of traditional rug weavers in Nushabad, according to CHN.
Nushabad is a city in the Central District of Aran va Bidgol county, Isfahan Province.
During the past two decades, after she and her works were introduced to domestic and international tourists by a tour guide, her reputation spread far away from Isfahan and even outside of Iran. She wove several rugs for foreign tourists who visited her in her village.
The traditional rugs (called “Jol” in Persian) woven in Aran and Bidgol by locals like Nosrat, are mostly used as rugs or blankets for horses and donkeys. Its weaving style is simple and similar to Iranian Kilims (Gelim), tapestry-woven carpets or rugs, and is one of the major handicrafts of the Iranian nomad community.
‘Jol’ is usually woven from wool, but now it is made of cotton. It is rare to see this type of rug with geometric patterns and needle work.
Khaleh Nosrat was severly ill in the last two years of her life and lost one of her kidneys 6 months ago. She was hospitalized but passed away in her daughter’s home in Aran and Bidgol.
CHN has made a multi-media documentary of her life and works called “The Last Rug-weaver”.
