Стр. 21 - Azərbaycan xalçaları

19
Azerbaijani carpets / SHIRVAN GROUP
Dyeing is one of the most ancient professions of the Shirvan
population. The major dyeing centers of this district were found
in Malham, Erjiman, Chalov, Sorsor, Gasad, Lahij, Arabusha-
gi, Basgal, Dilman, Khatman, Nuydu, Jeyirli, Sulut, Zargaran,
Qaraqoyunlu, Osmanbeyli, Charhan, Nabur, Kolani, Poladli,
Yekekhana, and other villages. Many Shirvan carpets are related
to the names of these centers. People came from various places to
these villages to commission carpets. According to older weav-
ers, since ancient times, people living in this area have been privy
to the secrets of obtaining dyes from plants. The red color specific
to Shirvan carpets was obtained from a plant called “gold dye.”
In addition, cultivated dyeing plants are also widespread here.
The dyeing plant is about one meter long and yields green-yel-
low flowers. Underground its roots reach more than two meters,
and it is from these roots that the dyeing substance is collected.
Carpet masters and kupa (a big earthenware pot) dyers procure
different shades of red from this root. According to the writing of
Y. Streys, in the Middle Ages, Shirvan province was famous for
its dye roots. The yellow color was obtained from “baldirgan”
(hemlock), apple skin, and the leaves of white mulberry and figs.
After the yellow color was produced, a bright red was obtained
by dumping the thread into a dye called indigo. It is said that for
each pood (1 pood =16.38 kg) of indigo dye grown in Lankaran, it
was sold to Shamakhi masters for 140 manats of silver. 400 poods
of indigo dyes were sold in Shamakhi every year. Shirvan crafts-
men used pomegranates, onions, walnut skins, almonds, figs,
mulberry leaves, “saragan” (smoketree), “sigir gozu” (buckeye),
and other plants for yellow dyes.
Two methods were employed to dye wool threads with plants:
the plants were either boiled along with the thread or a dyeing
solution was made beforehand and then the thread was added.
In the Dilman, Khatman, Hajiman, Qaraqoyunlu, Basgal, Sulut,
and Erjiman villages of Shamakhi and in the Agsu and Ismayilli
regions, walnut skins were boiled together with the thread and
then the threads were rubbed against tezek (manure briquette)
to produce a black color. In addition, black was obtained from
pomegranate skins. In the Shamakhi region, the thread was dyed
black by boiling it in a solution of pomegranate skins. Thus, the
thread had the color of camel wool and then it was dried and add-
ed to the black zag (mud) solution. In the Arabshahverdi, Tekle,
Garajaduzu, Chalov, Jeyirli, Nabur, and other villages of Shirvan,
the skins of sour pomegranates were boiled with the thread and
then the thread was cooked a second time in a solution of “black
Woman combing wool
in the village of Erjiman
in Shamakhi region.
Carpet fragment. Wool. Pile-weave. 19th
century. Shirvan group. Azerbaijan.
Washing of wool in spring water.
Kilim fragment. Wool. Flat-weave. 19th
century. Shirvan group. Azerbaijan.