Karabakh carpets highlighted at int'l conference

By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan's Karabakh carpet school has been highlighted at international conference in Turkmenistan.

Director of the National Carpet Museum, Chairman of the ICOM Azerbaijan National Committee Shirin Melikova addressed the 21st conference of the World Association of Turkmen Carpet Connoisseurs and the international conference "Turkmen Carpet is an example of beauty".

Shirin Melikova made a presentation at the event on the theme "The beauty of Karabakh carpets".

She informed the conference participants about Azerbaijani carpet weaving art, including Karabakh carpets, massively exported to Europe in the 15th-16th centuries, and now adorning world-famous museums and private collections.

She pointed out that  first exhibit of the National Carpet Museum was the 19th century Karabakh carpet "Balyg".

The museum director provided insight into famous Karabakh carpet compositions such as "Khatai", "Azhdahali" (Dragon), "Chelebi" and many others.

During her presentation Shirin Melikova shared the semantic meaning of carpet symbols and ornaments. In addition to pile carpets woven in Karabakh, Shirin Melikova also spoke about pileless carpets - kilim, jedjim, shadda, varni, zili and others.

In her speech, the Carpet Museum director highlighted the work done within the framework of the State Program for the Preservation and Development of Carpet Art in Azerbaijan for 2018-2022. She also spoke about Azerbaijani carpets retured back with the support of the country's leadership and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

She stressed that one of the most valuable exhibits in the collection of the National Carpet Museum is the 17th century Karabakh carpet "Khatai", donated to the museum by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in 2018.

Carpet weaving reflects the rich spiritual world, worldview and life philosophy of the Azerbaijani people.

In 2010 the traditional Azerbaijani carpet weaving art.was included in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO.

Karabakh carpets are distinguished from other national carpet schools by their artistic and technological production and their size.

This carpet school is famous for its pileless carpets, including shadda, zili, verni, kilim and palas products. Karabakh carpets are characterized by bright colors and vegetative motives.

There are 33 compositions of Karabakh carpets. These carpets are produced in the towns Malibeyli, Muradkhanli, Dashbulag, Jabrayil, Horadiz in Karabakh in the mountainous part of Karabakh.

With its colorful patterns and manufacturing technique, Zangazur and Nakhchivan are also included in Karabakh carpet school.

These carpet compositions feature classical patterns of Karabakh carpet-weaving school, including "Aran”, "Bagchadaguller", "Bal?g", "Buynuz", "Barda", "Bahmanli", "Garabag", "Goja", "Gas?mushag?", "Lambaran", "Mugan", "Tal?sh", "Lampa", "Mal?bayli ", "Khangarvand", "Khanl?g", "Khantirma", "Chalabi", and "Shabal?dbuta".

With its rich colors, this carpet school  comprises all undertones of the nature of Karabakh. Besides various plants, these colors are gained from different kinds of insects. The most popular insect from which red color is produced is scale insect or red worm.