Bessarabian carpet

Moldovan and Romanian rugs are often called Bessarabian rugs. What exactly does that mean?

Bessarabia is a geographical region that covers parts of present-day Moldova and western Ukraine.

Etymology of the name Bessarabia

Theories about the origin of the term Bessarabia are more or less fanciful. Some believe that the name "Bessarabia" comes from the Turkish word "bazaar," meaning market. Thus, Bessarabia would be a "marketplace."

Others link the word "Bessarabia" to "Bez Arabia," which in Russian would mean "without Arabs." But there have never been Arabs in this region of the world.

There was a Basarab dynasty in Wallachia (a region in southern Romania near Bucharest, in the Carpathian Mountains) that broke away from Hungary in the fourteenth century. This dynasty resisted the Tatars from the Danube Delta to the shores of the Black Sea. Following military victories, the Black Sea coast was annexed to Wallachia. The region was then called "Basarabia," land of the Basarabs, which in English becomes Bessarabia.

Bessarabian carpets are Moldavian carpets, not Romanian carpets!

Some of the world's most beautiful and valuable carpets come from Bessarabia. These carpets are often made with traditional Romanian motifs and designs. Bessarabia's history and geography make these carpets truly unique.

In short, all this to say that Bessarabia is more or less present-day Moldova and not Romania as is sometimes heard.

Moreover, it is Moldovan carpets and not Romanian ones that have been inscribed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

Bessarabian Carpets, an ancient tradition

Bessarabian carpets are unique. From the medieval period onward, looms and wool processing techniques enabled the production of these large, ornamental carpets. However, it was primarily between 1700 and 1900 that this folk art experienced its greatest flourishing.

As is also the case with Moroccan rugs , Moldavian rugs from Bessarabia are used in wedding and funeral ceremonies. Even today, a young woman's dowry may consist of rugs made by herself or other female relatives.

Moldovan carpets are actually wall hangings.

Varvara Buzilă, a Moldovan ethnographer, notes that originally these woven rugs served a thermal insulation function and covered the walls. The patterns were designed to be admired from the front, hung vertically.

Moreover, the traditional names of Moldovan carpets lădar, păretar, căldărar lse would be translated as follows: wall decoration etc.

Whether for contemporary use on the floor or more traditional use hung on a large wall, you can find a wide selection of authentic Bessarabian rugs on our site in the Moldavian Rugs section.