City · North Khorasan province

Under review

Bojnurd

بجنورد

A north-eastern city in mixed Kurdish, Turkmen and Turkic country, with village weaving, felt and silver in its market.

Setting

Bojnurd sits in a valley between ranges on the road east towards Mashhad, in pastoral country.

Why this place matters for craft

North Khorasan's craft output reflects its mixed communities: Kurdish and Turkmen weaving, felt, and regional embroidery. Documentation is sparser than for the major carpet centres.

Quarters, bazaars and workshops

AreaWhat is there
City bazaarRegional textiles and felt; small scale.

What to look for on an object

  • Village flatweave — Weft-faced bands with simple repeating motifs; edges often finished with a plaited selvedge.

These notes are for learning to look, not for authentication. No description here certifies an object, its age or its origin.

Practical notes

  • A stop on the route between Gorgan and Mashhad.
  • Workshop addresses, bazaar hours and market days change; confirm locally before travelling.

Season: Late spring to autumn.

Used in these crafts

Persian carpet

A hand-knotted pile textile woven across Iran in city workshops, village looms and pastoral camps, distinguished by regional structure, palette and design vocabulary.

Kilim (Gelim)

A flat, pileless woven textile made across Iran by interlocking or slit-weaving coloured weft threads over a warp, used as floor covering, storage bag, saddle cover and tent divider depending on region.

Namad felt

A non-woven wool textile made by matting and pressing raw wool fibres with moisture, heat and friction rather than by weaving, traditionally produced across Iran for floor coverings, cloaks and protective mats.

Jewellery and gem setting

Iranian jewellery ranges from gold and gem-set court ornaments to silver tribal adornment, often combining enamel, turquoise, pearls and coloured stones.