Page 23 - Azərbaycan xalçaları

Saddlebag.
Flat-weave. Silk.
Karabakh. XIX century.
main weaving center for zilis, they were also made in Aghdam, Yevlakh, Fuzuli,
Agjabedi, Lachyn, Beylegan, and Kelbajar. In these regions, carpet products were
woven using the sumakh technique as well.
Flat-weaves and carpet products differ in their specific ornaments. These
elements represent a combination of palas stripes, classic elements related to kilims,
elements of shedde and verni, and the motifs common to zili, ladi, and sumakh.
Flat-weaves in use continuously since ancient times became an integral part of
the households of people living in the region of Karabakh just as in other regions.
Carpet makers in the past used the technique of flat-weaves for the majority of
mafrashs, khurjuns (saddlebags), heybas (a variety of saddlebag), chuval (sack),
chul (saddlecloth), yukuzu, and other household products to produce a lighter
weight and softness. This tradition never faded.
The fourth stage of in the art of carpet making is the period of developing the
technique of pile-weaves formed on the basis of knotting, meaning the gullaby
knotting method replaced the previous wrapping method. Applied since prehistoric
times, the knotting technique made it possible to weave complex compositions
differing from all other methods. The development of this technique sparked the
invention of new tools in carpet making (such as iron scissors and knives). Other
instruments (like heve (stupa) and kirki) were also used.
Art specialists exploring carpet making divide the carpets of Karabakh into
three groups:
I. The Group of Aran. This group includes carpets from Barda and Agjabedi.
In the past, the region of Barda became famous for its pile-weaves such as Barda,
Khan-Garvand, Achma-Yumma, Aran, Goja (old), Buynuz (horn), Daryanur, Balyg
(fish), Shabalyt Buta (chestnut buta), as well as flat-weaves like shedde, verni,
and zili. Carpet masters called the carpets of this group Aran carpets. The carpets
of Nakhchivan are similar to the Karabakh group in their technical features and
therefore, are included in this group. Within Agjabedi’s pile carpets, Lemberan,
Karabakh, Khantirme, and flat-weave carpets like jejim and zilis were widespread.
The Garagoyunlu carpet was also woven here.
II. The Group of Shusha. This group includes Malybayli, Lempe (lamp),
Bakhchada Guller (flowers in a garden), Sakhsyda Guller (flowers in a vase),
Nalbaki Gul (saucer flower), and Bulud (cloud) carpets. Carpets named Atly-Itli
(horse and dog), Rustam and Zohrab, and Daryanur were also made in Shusha.
As a part of the Group of Shusha, the Lempe (lamp) carpet is woven in all carpet-
weaving centers of Karabakh.
III. The Group of Jabrayil. This group is comprised of such carpets as Khanlyg,
Gara Goyunlu, Gubadly, Kurd, Gasymushagy, Bahmanli, Mugan, Talysh, and flat-
weaves such as palases and jejims.
In addition to Shusha, villages such as Dashbulag, Dovshanly, Chanagchy,
Tug, Taglar, and others played an important role in carpet production in the
mountainous part of Karabakh in the 19th century. Incontestably, lowland regions
such as Jabrayil, Aghdam, Barda, Fuzuli, and Yevlakh are considered main centers
of carpet making due to the fixed sources of raw materials in comparison with
mountainous areas. There were a certain number of villages where people made
carpets for sale. The sizes of Karabakh pile- and flat-weaves are relatively large in
relation to other carpets. This region’s carpets start from 2 m2 and reach to 20 m2.
Sometimes, one can also find carpets as large as 25-30 m2.
Knot density of Karabakh carpets varies from 30x30 to 40x40.
In one square meter of carpet made in this region, the number of
knots ranges from 90,000 to 160,000. However, there can also be
carpets with a density of 200,000 knots per square meter. These
carpets are woven using the gullaby knotting technique.
21
Azerbaijani carpets / KARABAKH GROUP