Eleven years passed since inclusion of carpet weaving art in UNESCO List

By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

Eleven years have passed since the inclusion of the Azerbaijan's carpet weaving art in UNESCO's Intangible Heritage List.

A significant date has been widely celebrated in the National Carpet Museum. The event was also timed to the 115th anniversary of the outstanding scientist, People's Artist Latif Karimov.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Carpet Museum director, Ph.D. in Art History Shirin Malikova noted that such an important event as the recognition of this ancient national art on a global scale was held with the support of President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva.

Shirin Malikova pointed out that the Carpet Museum successfully implements new projects aimed at reviving and promotion of the ancient carpet weaving techniques.

Honored Art Worker, doctor of Art History Kubra Aliyeva, professor of the Azerbaijan State Academy of Arts, Honored Artist Mammadhusein Huseynov, Deputy Head of the Shusha Executive Power Vusal Fataliyev spoke about the life and work of the outstanding scientist Latif Karimov, noting his invaluable contribution to the Azerbaijan's carpet weaving art.

The event was followed by a presentation of "Narli" carpet (Pomegranate).

The carpet was produced by the museum's Traditional Technology Department with the use of pile and pileless techniques with all types of lint-free techniques as well as the techniques of the Sor-sor carpet and chiyi-palas.

All these carpet weaving techniques were used at once for the first time.

Woven in eight  months, Narli carpet depicts a pomegranate tree - a symbol of prosperity, paradise fruit and longevity.

Pomegranate fruits on the tree are woven in pileless weaving techniques, while its florets are woven using the pile technique. The tree trunk on the carpet is made using the zili technique.

A replica of the famous prayer carpet "Sor-sor" (1811), woven in Shirvan was showcased as part of the event.

The carpet was donated to the museum last year by the Italian carpet collector Erminio Bottini. The work on the replica took three months.

Another beautiful example of carpet weaving art is chiyi carpet, distinguished by an original and complex manufacturing technique.

A third, pattern-forming thread is added to the weft and warp threads in a certain sequence, which creates small colored geometric ornaments. Chiyi carpets were commonly used as wall hangings, curtains and bedspreads.

Next,  vocalist Chinara Melikzade and the ensemble of the Center for Development of Children and Youth No. 2 performed a concert to the museum visitors.