Стр. 23 - Azərbaycan xalçaları

21
Azerbaijani carpets / SHIRVAN GROUP
Shamakhi, Agsu, Kurdamir, Hajigabul, Agdash, Goychay, Zard-
ab, Ismayilli, Gobustan, and Ujar. Gabala and Salyan carpets are
identical to Shirvan carpets from the technical and artistic point
of view, and therefore they are also included in this group.
The biggest carpet weaving center of Shirvan was the city of
Shamakhi and the surrounding villages.
In Goychay, one of the carpet weaving centers of Shirvan, car-
pets and carpet products were woven using both pile weave and
flat weave techniques.
The carpets from Kurdamir, one of the carpet weaving centers
of Shirvan, are very famous, especially “Shilyan,” “Kurdamir,”
and “Sorsor.”
Historically, carpets were woven in the village of Upper Shi-
lyan in Ujar and this art is still preserved. To meet the demands
of the population in Zardab, pile weave and flat weave carpets
were both woven there.
Historically, the Gobustan region was one of the most ancient
carpet weaving centers of Azerbaijan. Pile weave carpets of this
region called “Maraza,” “Nabur,” “Chukhanli,” “Jeyirli,” “Jam-
jamli,” and “Gabistan,” are very famous while flat weave carpets
like kilims, palases, zilis, and other carpet products were equally
well known. One of the specific characteristics of the “Gabistan”
carpets woven in Shirvan’s territory is that they are composed
of five oblong-shaped “khalis.” The size of these carpets was
120x500 meters squared; the carpets included middle (“ortaliq”
- Miyana), two-sided (“yanliq” - Kenare), top (“bashliq” - Saran-
daz), and foot (“ayaqliq” - Payandaz) that was laid close to the
door. Gabistan village was the major weaving center of carpet
products woven from wool (either camel or sheep), silk, and cot-
ton threads. Carpets woven in Gabistan were fine, glossy, soft,
and thin. Weavers called this type of carpets “wood.”
Flat weave carpets can be cited as the most ancient carpet
products. From the point of technical execution, in the first stage
the simplest compositions emerged in flat weave carpets. Many
of them reached our time without being subject to any chang-
es. Large symmetrical compositions are encountered in all flat
weave carpet production zones, including Shirvan. These com-
positions specific to pile weave carpets were later copied onto
flat weave carpets. Without exception, these carpets are charac-
teristic for all carpet weaving centers, including Shirvan, and are
observed in all flat weave carpet samples (palas, kilim, zili, jejim,
shedde, and sumakhs).
As in other districts of Azerbaijan, the method of dividing the
surface into vertical parts both with and without borders is well
encountered in Shirvan’s zilis, jejims, and kilims. Different from
Nakhchivan jejims, the stripes on Shirvan jejims are narrower and
shorter. Division into vertical parts is characteristic for the kilims
included in the Shirvan group. “Guyrumlu” kilims included in
this group are particularly interesting. The middle field on this
type of kilim is divided into two parts at the center with verti-
cal rows of squares and rhombs in each of these parts. In Shir-
van, products woven using palas, kilim, jejim, and sumakh tech-
niques are included in carpets and carpet products woven using
the flat weave technique. Zilis and sumakhs woven in Shirvan
are very different from the zilis, kilims, and sumakhs of other
districts. The fineness of these carpets depends on the sheep’s
wool. Flat weave carpets (palas type) called “Takhta-mije” were
woven out of the wool of sheep raised in the lowland areas of
Shirvan. These types of carpets were specific to the Terekemes.
The sedentary population was interested in the fineness and rich
artistic designs of these carpets; however, the “elat” (nomadic)
population paid more attention to the durability of the products.
Kilim fragment. Wool. Flat-weave.
19 th century. Shirvan group. Azerbaijan.
Carpet fragment. Wool. Pile-weave. 1850.
Shirvan group. Azerbaijan. Private collection.
Yarn dyed using natural dyes.