The Regional Ethnographic Museum, Plovdiv presents 22 rare Bulgarian kilims — some dating to the late 17th century — never before shown together.
From 7 October to 30 November 2026, the Regional Ethnographic Museum in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, presents Bakam Carpets, the first exhibition ever devoted to Bulgaria’s oldest known kilim tradition. On show are 22 historic pieces from Chiprovtsi, the sole weaving centre where these kilim carpets — also called “Garibalda,” after one of their natural dyes — were produced, from the late 17th century until the tradition faded out around 1935.
Woven in a fine interlocked tapestry technique with an eccentric weft, Bakamski kilims typically use just four colours and one to four borders, and even the largest pieces were woven in a single seamless length. They served Islamic ritual life — weddings, funerals, daily prayer, mosque flooring — and are often mislabelled in the international art market as “Sarköy,” “Manastir,” or Thracian work.
The carpets belong to Dutch collector Jacop van Beelen, whose holdings of over 80 pieces are the result of more than a decade of research. Several works on display are recognised as part of Bulgaria’s national cultural heritage. The exhibition, accompanied by a catalogue, presents van Beelen’s proposed seven-stage chronology of the tradition for the first time.
Location and more information: Regional Ethnographic Museum – Plovdiv 2, Dr Chomakov Str., 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria