The city and the district of Hamadan is an important centre for the rug trade, as well as the most productive rug production area of Iran. Hamadan is a major city with hundreds of thousands of people. Like Ekbatan, it was a main city of the Achemenian kings. It has an indigenous Jewish population and numerous monuments, of which the most important are the tombs of Esther and Mordicai (central to Jewish pilgrims), and the tomb at Avicenna. Hamadan is a provincial capitol. Two types of rugs are knotted. One is the so-called “city rug”, also known as the Shahrbaff. The production is modern and largely state controlled. The village production, however, is much more important; Hamadan is a market city for many rug producing villages that each has its own pattern. Most prominent are Borchalu, Tuserkman, Memraban, Khamseh, Begardeh, Enjilas, Hosseinabad, and Zandjan. There is a wide range of patterns but the quality is very consistent. The colours are strong, and often plant colours. The patterns are daring, although random, and Hosseinabad and Enjilas in particular are known for through going patterns. The rugs are usually not much bigger than 3 by 2 metres. Hosseinabad belongs to the large Hamadan District, where most rugs are knotted by nomads. The city of Hamadan is the market for more than a thousand villages, which is one of the reasons why there is such a large degree of variation in the patterns o reasons why there is such a large degree of variation in the patterns of the rugs that bear the Hamadan name. The Hosseinabad rug is often, and rightly so, described as good, solid rug for everyday use. It is knotted on a cotton weave base and the pile is made of sturdy wool. The Ghiordis knot is used and the ground colour can be brown, a popular colour in Hamadan rugs. These modern hand knotted rugs are a part of the "Young Attitude Collection", and they are knotted in the district around Bhadohi in India. The rugs are produced in contemporary, environmental friendly and ethically correct workshops, with no child w orkers employed. The rugs are carefully selected and developed to harmonize the Scandinavian style of high quality workmanship.