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History of Azerbaijan and oriental carpet |
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History of Azerbaijan carpet Eternal spaciousness and meadows , snowy tops of mountains and sandy seashores are charecteristic of Azerbaijan Republic, situated in the south-eastern part of the Caucasus, on the western shore of the Caspian sea. Fertile soil, mild climate and warm sun rays have determined favorable conditions for flora and fauna. Almost each out of 6000 species of plants found on the territory of Azerbaijan has medical properties. For centuries Azerbaijan had been a country of various handicrafts, particularly carpet-making. Carpet-making is one of the ancient fields of the decorative-applied art of Azerbaijan. According to archeological excavations in the territory of Azerbaijan and to literature sources, carpet-making had been conceived in ancient times. Carpet and carpetware made in Azerbaijan had repeatedly been glorified in historical books, classic and folk literature. Magically playing, the colours of carpets absorbed ruby brightness of pomegranate, golden briliance of quince, copper of saffron and lilac tints of grapes. Inexhaustible richnes of colours, inimitable inits beauty interlacement of patterns , flight of artistic fantasy and consummate skill - that is Azerbaijan carpet. According to the historical sources, Azerbaijan was one of the most important centers of pile and flat-woven carpets production in  the East in Middle Ages. Facts confirm, that north-eastern part of Azerbaijan was a center of high quality carpets production in the VI-VII centuries. Famous Chinees traveller Khuan-Tesank, who visited Iran in the VII century, wrote in his memoirs: ?Azerbaijan is one of the largest centers of the carpet-making?. Historian ( VII c.) Moisey Kalankaitukshy noted in ?Agvan tarihi?, that silk textiles and multicoloured carpets were manufacture in the northern part of Azerbaijan. In the manuscript ?Khudud-Al-Alem? ( X c.) is marked, that Azerbaijan town of Mugan was famous for its Chuvals and Palases ; towns of Nakhichevan, Khoi and Salmas- for Zili , Khali and sashes; Ardabil and Shirvan- for coloured silk and woolen textiles . Well- known historiographer Abu Jafar Mukhammed Tabari ( X century) speaking of Azerbaijan seizure of Azerbaijan, mentioned that in the north-eastern part of Azerbaijan carpets of high quality were manufactured. Historian and traveller Al Mukaddasi ( X century ) describing Azerbaijan town of Barda and its market, noted : ?... silk and clothes are sold at this market ... and carpets have no equals in the world?.Descriptions of the carpets are met in Azerbaijan classical literature as well especially in the masterpieces of great Azerbaijan poets as Gatran Tabrizi ( XI century), Nizami Ganjevi, Khagani Shirvani ( XII century) and others. In the XIII century Venicean traveller Marko Polo wrote: ? there are many skillful masters, producing textile, carpet and sabres widespread all over the world in Azerbaijan?. The folk epic Dada Gorgud, created during the 11th and 12th centuries, gave special praise to the purple carpets of Azerbaijan, while in the 13th century, Azeri carpets were admired by the Flemish traveller and missionary Guillaume de Ruysbroeck as well as by the Venetian merchant and explorer Marco Polo. Records of luxurious Azeri carpets are also found in the journals of the English traveller Anthony Jenkills in thc 16th century, and of the Dutch seafarer Jan Struys in the 17th century.  In the second has of the XV centuries Azerbaijan carpet-making began to use golden and silver threads, precious stones in silk carpets. In the XIII-XIV centuries Azerbaijan jewelry and carpets attracted European, especially Venicean merchants. Having visited Azerbaijan dealers, travelers, ambassadors from different countries, exported picturesque carpets and carpe-ware as commodities and presents. And it?s not casually, that we can find Azerbaijan carpets on the canvases of the famous European artist. We can observe them on the picture ? Ambassadors? of Gans Golbein ; well-known Netherlandian artist Yan Van Eik painted his picture ?Madonne of the Canon Van der Pale? with the Azerbaijan carpet ?Kuba? on its background. In the XVI-XVII centuries , in the epoch of Safavids Azerbaijan art of carpet-making went through the stage of rapid development. In this period Tabriz, Ardabil, Shemakha, Baku, Ganja and Barda were considered to be centres of carpet-making. Being of fine quality and techniques of fulfillment , ornamental carpets woven centuries ago in Shirvan, Karabakh, Apsheron, Kuba, Kazakh, Ganja, Mugan, Talysh decorate now great museums of the Russia, Western Europe, the United States of America. 90% of the carpets. Especially flatwoven, known in the world by the name of ?Caucasus? are primordial Azerbaijan carpets. In 1967 the first State Museum of the Art of carpet-making was established. Here the best examples of Azerbaijan carpets and carpet-ware were displayed. The exposition of this unique Museum is decorated with the ancient carpets , woven in the XVIII-XIX  centuries and ornamental carpets of the Soviet period. The organization of abovementioned establishments has created the necessary prerequisites for more thorough study of the artistic, theoretical and technological aspects of the art of carpet-making.According to the technology and artistic decision Azerbaijan carpets can be divided into two types: flat-woven and pile carpets. There are 7 methods of technique of flat-woven carpet-weaving, which resemble tapestry, and only two methods of pile carpet-weaving. Each Azerbaijan district is famous for its own original carpets and carpetware peculiar for the given zone. Palas, Jejim, Shedde, Kilim, Zili, Varni and others are considered to be Azerbaijan flat-woven carpets. Since ancient times Azerbaijan flat-woven carpet-ware were widespread as utensils: khurjun ( travelling bag), mafrash ( similar to trunk) , chul ( popone), etc. Since ancient times carpe-making in Azerbaijan was women business, who cautiously shared their experience from generation to generation. Composition, ornamentation and artistic methods were closed and clear to every carpet-maker, no matter how complicated they were. It is evidently, that in ancient times there was no woman, who didn?t weave carpets in Karabakh, Barda, and later in Shusha. One of the main articies of girl?s dowry was a carpets complete-set (?Dastkhali-gabe?) consisting of 3 or 4 carpets. A bride had to take first hand part in weaving of such a complete-set. It is interesting to know , that women , who came to seek in marriage a girl, usually inquire about her skill at weaving carpets. In 1917 in 222 villages of Ganja district more than 33,000 persons were engaged in carpet-making , that constitute 49 % of the population and 56 % of the all handcraftsmen of the district. In the same year 39,979 persons from 97 out of 111 village of Kuba district were carpet-makers , that constitute 81 % of district handcraftsmen. Such figures may be met in the villages of Shirvan, Karabakh and Apsheron. These facts confirmed that carpetry gained expansion and was one of the main spheres of applied arts. |
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