Стр. 15 - Azərbaycan xalçaları

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tradition of weaving human
images on “Pirebedil” carpets
of Guba coincides with the first
indications of idolizing fire.
The specific style depicting
zoomorphic elements woven
on some Guba carpets is dis-
tinguished from other styles.
Ducks and doves are woven
in realistic forms. However, in
classic “Karagashli” and “Zey-
va” carpets, bird depictions as
main elements are depicted
as stylized abstract geometric
forms.
The element known as “sa-
jayagi,” woven in two parallel
lines, is accepted as a symbol
related to fire and this sym-
bol remains a keepsake until
the present day. But when this
pattern and its versions are re-
searched carefully and com-
paratively, it appears that the
base of the “sajayagi” element
was the bird element. It is natu-
ral that this motif has changed
from its initial form. They have
been changed from real depic-
tions into abstract forms wo-
ven in various artistic styles
depending on the individual
carpet masters. The subject of
this motif, whose head is wo-
ven clearly but whose neck and
body are woven using only
outlines of straight lines, is con-
stant.
The bird depictions woven on
“Karagashli” carpets of Guba
assume a sacred meaning. As a
rule, a bird is a symbol of the
mystical world. A bird is the
mediator who takes human
spirits to eternal life after death.
In this meaning, it is the envoy
of the holy place and a symbol
of eternity. Carpets with this
sacred motif were only woven
in small sizes according to tra-
dition, since they were used for
praying.
It is possible to see the bird el-
ement with the same subject at
the ends of gols woven in “Zey-
va” carpets. When attentively
examining the gol consisting
of sidestepped projections, it is
clearly seen that in each projec-
tion the stylized form of a bird’s
head has been woven.
Abstract zoomorphic ele-
ments are used on pile and
flat weave carpets of the Guba
group as well. They are abstract
motifs mainly used in the pile
weave carpet “Ajdahali” (with
dragon) and the flat weave car-
pet “Sumakh.” The element of
a dragon is widespread among
Turkish people, as seen in some
carpet compositions. It is main-
ly woven among the crossing
stripes and sometimes among
the patterns on the background
of the central area. Independ-
ent of its location and form,
the “ajdaha” (dragon) is woven
among all combinations of pal-
mettos. The palmetto is a flower
representing life; that is to say,
the dragon is a sacred charac-
1. Carpet “Zeykhur.” Wool. Pile weave. 265x130.
1893. Guba group. Azerbaijan.
2. Cleaning carpets on the banks of the Garachay
River. Guba.
3. Carpet “Ugah.” Wool. Pile weave.
325x118. Beginning of 19th century.
Guba group. Azerbaijan.
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