Page 27 - Azərbaycan xalçaları

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addition to reflecting the nature of the Guba carpet
group.
Carpets assume a conservative meaning in the
history of art. New artistic styles and scripts are
created in the culture, especially on the carpets
throughout history. From this point of view, it is
possible to see various combinations on Guba car-
pets such as ancient alphabets, Persian language,
and Hijri dates.
It is also observed in the carpets belonging to
the Guba group that very interesting calligraphic
scripts become geometrical decorations. The “Ga-
dim Minare” (ancient minaret) composition is a
good example. The word “Allah” is woven in Ara-
bic calligraphy in succession on the border strip of
the oblong gol covering the internal surface of the
carpet. The patterns in the same script style may in-
clude “kufi” elements used on the border strip of
most Guba group carpets.
It is not accidental that sometimes a carpet is
called a written monument or stone chronicle. Some
social events and beliefs are reflected in the knots
on this type of carpet. From this point of view, the
alphabet takes a special place when eternalized on
carpets.
Following the arrival of Islam, great changes oc-
curred in art. With the development of ornamen-
tal art, the tradition of describing the scripts in
the form of patterns passed to carpets as well. The
traces of this stage of development are conserved to
the present day. The weaving of sura and religious
sayings taken from the Koran in kufi script on car-
pets is classic for the Guba group. The inaccessibil-
ity and endlessness of the creator, as seen in Islamic
philosophy, carries a symbolic meaning as a sign
of infinity in the form of the word “Allah” and the
“kufi” border strip on the “Gadim Minare” carpet.
According to legend, the “sichandishi” border
strip symbolized protection against the evil eye
and was borrowed from ancient pottery. This tradi-
tion has been conserved in the richness of color and
multi-colored patterns of the carpets exemplifying
high professionalism and the rich experience of lo-
cal weavers. The range of patterns representing the
outlooks and aesthetic views of weavers has been
unlimited since ancient times.
A harmony of warm tones makes these carpets
beautiful and the soft and lustrous wool adds deli-
cacy. The natural dyes obtained from natural plants
such as pomegranate, nutshells, quince and mul-
berry leaves, oak roots, sumac, and other plants
make Guba carpets more vivid in their durability
and transparency.
The density of Guba carpets ranges from 40x40 up
to 55x55 knots and these traditionally woven car-
pets include “Kohne Guba,” “Zeyva,” “Golu-Chi-
chi,” “Jek,” “Khan,” “Yerfi,” “Jimi,” “Ugah,” “Sirt-
Carpet fragment. Wool. Pile weave.
17th century. Guba group. Azerbaijan.
Exhibition of Carpets. 1927. Guba.
Azerbaijani carpets / GUBA GROUP