Carpet Museum presents Kalbajar carpet weaving art

By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

The National Carpet Museum has displayed some of the most stunning Azerbaijani carpets.

The Museum continues to share beautiful exhibits from the museum's Shusha Branch collection. 

The exquisite composition of this colorful carpet features vegetative, geometric, zoomorphic, and ornithomorphic ornaments.

The gorgeous border, the central stripe of which is adorned with the most beautiful Sarabi-Buta ornament, complements the carpet's central field. This suggests that the artistic design and color harmony of Tabriz carpets have always influenced Karabakh carpets.?

Flat-woven carpets occupy a special place among the most beautiful examples of Karabakh carpet weaving.? 

The traditional zili of Kalbajar are considered masterpieces of Karabakh carpet weaving.? They were woven in various compositions and designed with squares, rectangles, polygons, and shebeke. In general, large sizes and warm colors are characteristic of Karabakh zili.? The local population used zili as mafrash, saddlebags, blankets, bedspreads, etc.?

Since ancient times,Achma-Yumma carpet have been woven in the village of Khidirli in the Aghdam district, in Jabrayil`s  Papi and Sofulu villages. Starting from 18th century, these carpets have been also woven in Susha city and in the nearby villages of Khalfali and Shirlan, as well as in Khojavand.

The notched rhomb-shaped medallions decorate the carpet's central field. They join each other to create a flowing and dynamic achma-yumma (open and close) composition (hence the name).

Founded in 1967, the National Carpet Museum holds more than 14,000 exhibits of the finest Azerbaijani carpets.

The museum, initiated by eminent carpet artist Latif Karimov, is beautiful inside and out. The museum's new building is designed in the form of a rolled carpet.

The Carpet Museum opened its doors in 2014 at Baku Seaside Park. All carpets were transferred to the museum's new location.

In 2019, the museum received the national status for its significant contribution in popularization and promotion of the Azerbaijani Carpet Weaving Art.

Now, the museum hosts multiple events, including international symposiums, conferences and various exhibitions.

The Carpet Museum has recently marked the 10th anniversary of the inclusion of Azerbaijan's carpet weaving art in UNESCO's Intangible Heritage List.

Public and cultural figures have gathered at the National Carpet Museum to mark this significant date. 

The project entitled "Unpainted woollen carpets in the practice of the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum" was also presented as part of the event. 

The museum displayed the replicas of five classic carpets, including "Shamakhi", "Khila-buta", "Khatai", "Ajdahali", "Nakhchivan", stored in the museum's collection.  Natural shades of wool are used in the decor of these carpets.