Page 69 - Azərbaycan xalçaları

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Azerbaijani carpets / TABRIZ GROUP
At the bottom of the carpet in the second medallion on the left in the main border, s one of
the heroes of the “Shahnameh” is depicted: the third king of Pishdadian Dynasty, Tahmuras.
After Hushang’s execution, he ascended to the throne and defeated the ogres. There was a great
famine in this period and he ordered the rich men to share their food with the poor and eat only
once a day. The usage of goat’s wool is related with his name. He agitated for people to wor-
ship the Creator. For him, heathenism, witchcraft, and sorcery were sins. Historians connect the
buildings of some cities with his name. It is said that Ahriman swallowed Tahmuras and then
his son Jamshid got him out of Ahirman’s stomach and buried him.
On the left of the carpet inside the medallion in the center of the main border, there is a portrait
of the sixth shah of the legendary dynasty of Pishdadian, Jamshid. It is said that he was the first
man to defeat death. According to “Avesta,” he is the first man to whom Ahura Mazda intro-
duced his religion. It is said that in Jamshid’s period, there were no diseases or death for 300
years. Later, when he went astray, the world changed and death came back. According to the
“Shahnameh,” the Novruz holiday is connected with his name. He is said to have lived for 700
years and to have had his throne carried by ogres. The one who dethroned Jamshid was Zohhak.
On the minor border on the left, inside the fourth medallion from the top, Zohhak’s portrait is
depicted. According to Iranian legends, Zohhak was the fifth king of the Pishdadian Dynasty; he
ascended the throne after Jamshid. Since he was Arabian, he was called Zohhaki-Tazi (Arabian
Zohhak). It is said that he had two snakes on his shoulders and he used to feed them with two
human brains every day. At last, the rebels under Kaveh’s leadership fought against his tyranny
and chose Firidun as king by dethroning him. In Eastern literature, Zohhak symbolizes cruelty
and tyranny.
On the main border inside the medallion at the bottom, the hero of “Shahnameh” Firidun‘s
portrait is depicted. Firidun is the sixth king of the Pishdadian Dynasty and Jamshid’s grand-
son. After Zohhak kills his father, his mother hid him and fed him cow’s milk. The astrologers
told Zohhak that he would be killed by Firidun. For that reason, he started looking for him. His
mother hid him in Mount Elbrus. At the age of sixteen, she told Firidun the whole story and by
joining Kaveh’s revolt, Firidun overthrew Zohhak and became the shah. Firidun used to call
himself the second Zardusht and tried to adopt the ancient Zoroastrian religion to the demands
of his time.
The gaps on the middle field of the carpet are filled with branches designed with light brown, dark red, and ivory flowers
and leaves.
The main border is surrounded by a minor border decorated with branches full of brown, ivory, and yellow flowers and
leaves on the outside.
The minor border is completed with dark blue madakhils decorated with colored cogs on the outside. On the inside, it is
encircled by a madakhil decorated with brown and ivory cogs. The edges of the madakhil are completed with black “su”
(water).
The ivory narrow border encircling the main border is decorated with dark red and ivory flowers and yellow leaves. The
narrow border is surrounded by madakhils decorated with brick red and yellow cogs on the inside and red and yellow
“mollabashi” (chamomile) motifs on the outside. The brown “su” completes the edges of the madakhils.
The color design of the carpet was designed with great professionalism. Twelve color shades were used on the carpet. Its
pile is woolen and its wrap and weft are made of cotton. It is in excellent condition.