Стр. 24 - Azərbaycan xalçaları

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Therefore they wove carpets and carpet products that would
meet their household needs.
In Shirvan in the Middle Ages, carpets and carpet products
were woven using the sumakh technique as well. The major
weaving center for these carpets was the city of Shamakhi.
Later, sumakhs were woven in other districts of Azerbaijan
and Dagestan. The name sumakh is a toponym related to
Shamakhi.
The carpet product “makhfur,” which is often mentioned
in historical resources, is widespread in the Shirvan district.
This kind of flat weave carpet was first woven in the Shirvan
district. Later, the secrets of this technique were spread to
other districts of Azerbaijan and Central Asia, specifically to
Samarkand.
The carpets woven in the Middle Ages that were adorned
with golden and silver threads and valuable stones were
called “makhfur.” Shirvan weavers used flat weave and pile
weave techniques to weave makhfur. The fields of these car-
pets were woven with a palas technique and the patterns
were woven with a pile weave technique; the fields of some
were woven either by the “dolama” (complex winding) or
“qayiq” (boat) technique while the pile weave technique was
used for patterns. One example of this weaving technique is
the Turkmen household item “yolam.”
Carpets with medallions are widespread in Shirvan, in-
cluding carpets with “Shirvan,” “Jamjamli,” “Erjiman,”
“Gasad,” “Hajigabul,” “Gabala,” “Nabur,” and “Shilyan”
compositions. The middle field composition of “Erjiman”
carpets consists of several gyols located on the vertical center
axis. Gyols characteristic for Erjiman carpets consist mostly
of several gyols located in one vertical row. However, it is
possible to encounter “Erjiman” carpets that have two rows
of gyols.
The symmetric compositions on Shirvan Group carpets fall
along a horizontal line in the middle field and are divided
into two large gyols. Carpets with geometric medallions
have always piqued the interest of both local and foreign ob-
servers. Even today, the interest in these types of carpets is
greater than other carpets.
The nineteenth century “Shamakhi” carpet from the Shir-
van Group exemplifies a very interesting sample of palmetto
ornaments. Seven rows of palmettos are located along the
horizontal line on this blue field carpet while cypress trees
are depicted as the internal ornament. The image of cypress
trees of different sizes is found in different areas of decora-
tive-applied art of Azerbaijan, including carpets, especially
on carpets with dragons. The “Shamakhi” carpets woven at
the beginning of the twentieth century contain larger palmet-
tos. The cypress trees on them are also more stylized.
Among the carpets woven in Shirvan, some have a closed
composition, especially prayer carpets, in-
cluding namzalygs. Traditional composi-
tions were used on namzalyg carpets woven
here. The depiction of mehrabs on this type
of carpet shows mutual crossing composi-
tions of “Sorsor” and “Gabistan.” Large
wide namzalygs (for collective praying)
were also woven in Shirvan district. “Ga-
bala” and “Maraza” compositions are used
on this type of carpet.
The general composition of namza-
lyg carpets woven in Shirvan in the late
nineteenth century was stylized and became
a more independent ornamental motif – me-
dallion – and this motif is repeated along
the whole carpet, restoring a weaving tra-
dition. A number of buta motifs have been
employed on Shirvan carpets. “Jigga buta”
(crown buta), “gulabdan buta” (rose water
jug buta), “bala buta” (child buta), “horma
buta” (net buta), “badam buta” (almond
buta), “Shirvan buta,” and other motifs are
encountered on carpets of this group. Of
the floral motifs, “cholotu,” “meshegozu,”
“shukufa,” “nargulu,” “gulabatin” (purl or
braid), “sunbul” (ear of wheat), tree, “alma-
gulu,” grape, “meyne” leaves (vine leaves),
“destegul,” “gunabakhan” (sunflower),
“heyvagulu,” “nar” (pomegranate), “goza,”
oak leaf, and lilymotifs have been employed
on most carpets.
“Panjara” (window), “dordtokhma,” “dishlipere,” “get-
dan,” “jigga,” “boyukkhal” (large point), “kupa” (earthen-
ware pot), “charkh” (bobbin), “kashi” (ceramic tile), “dam-
ga” (stamp), “tagalag” (part of spinning wheel), “dirnagli”
(reminiscent of ancient Greek motifs), “chirag” (lamp),
“yuyruk” (interpreted as the symbol of dreams and wishes),
“fir-fira,” “dilikli” (zigzag), “sirga” (earring), “demirmasha,”
“tug,” “toy bezeyi” (wedding decoration), “qaychi” (scis-
sors), “sunbuldarag,” “zulfelem,” “chakhmag” (lock), and
other motifs are employed on Shirvan carpets.
Human, animal, and insect images depicted on the carpets
of this district have been evolving for centuries thus reaching
a high point of artistic design quality. Compared to the car-
pets from the Guba and Baku groups, human, animal, bird,
and insect images are encountered more often on the carpets
of Shirvan. Carpet weavers skillfully represented the images
in the artistic design of carpets using both flat weave and
Sale of assorted kilims.