Page 17 - Azərbaycan xalçaları

15

Azerbaijani carpets / TABRIZ GROUP

and the Caucasus. As a rule, the center of their composition

consists of a large gyol (lake, medallion). In the four corners

of the part making the immediate area of cheshni the fourth

one part of this gyol is placed. Sometimes we can meet the

carpets which composition consisting of one turunj sur-

rounded by only patterns. Usually non-ferrous metals and

precious stones were used in the pattern field of these speci-

mens. The Tabriz carpets woven of silk, as well as golden

and silver threads besides giving their appearance a special

beauty, also demonstrated an apple technical opportunity

of the Azerbaijani carpet weaving.

A free composition created by one of the pattern forms

spread widely in the Azerbaijani carpet weaving, as well as

a number of types of decorative art is called “Afshan”. The

composition of “Afshan” which a vocabulary meaning is

“splashing” and “spreading” is mainly achieved by decorat-

ing the pattern elements on some “halazun” (spiral) or “pi-

chek” (curve)-shaped branches. Coordination of flower and

leaves figures and “Islimi” motives with them provides the

integrity of the composition and in whole creates a magical

appearance.

Though this composition was often used in the 16

th

-17

th

centuries neither carpet repeat each other in the terms of

pattern cover or color as well.

The carpet kept in the Staatliche Museum in Berlin, Ger-

many, specimens in the Victoria andAlbert Museum in Lon-

don, and in art galleries in the Unites States, as well as the

work (16

th

century) stored in the collection of the Metropoli-

tan Museum in New York and a number of weaving speci-

mens are the carpets confirming the endless artistic and aes-

thetic opportunities of “Afshan” composition.

Though the density of “Heris” (the cheshni was called in

honor of the settlement located in the northern – eastern

part of Tabriz) composition in whole is less than the density

of Tabriz group of carpets, they differ from others with its

artistic solution. Its composition and general forms of ele-

Museum. Tabriz.

Museum of Mashruta (Constitutional) Revolution, Tabriz.

Tomb of Salmas. Salmas, 1281.