Gov’t seeks to preserve carpet weaving traditions, revive sector

Carpet weaving is one of the most ancient types of Azerbaijan’s applied and decorative arts, while the nation’s carpet weaving tradition can be traced back to the Bronze Age, according to historic records. From ancient time, carpets had become an integral part of the everyday life of Azerbaijanis. Eventually, carpets began to embody the artistic conception, ideas, imaginations, aesthetics, harmony, visual clarity and entire color range of human environment.

Azerbaijan’s carpets mesmerize everyone with their majestic beauty, fascinating colors and variety of drawings. It is not coincidence that in November 2010, the Azerbaijani carpet was proclaimed a Masterpiece of Intangible Heritage by UNESCO.

Azerbaijani carpets differ from each other based on their type and location where they were made, but regional carpet weaving schools had mutually influenced each other to mutual enrichment.

There are different patterns and color palette of several schools, including Guba, Baku, Shirvan, Ganja, Gazakh, Karabakh and Tabriz. Some of these schools are known for their inherently complex geometric patterns that represent conceptual bodies of men and animals, while others are characteristic of diverse floral decorations with abundant variations reflecting flower-shaped motifs.

About 600 kinds of designs decorate Azerbaijani carpets. The mostused design in the national carpets is Buta, which has 72 kinds of shape and three main meanings including fire, water and cypress.

Ancient Azerbaijani carpets are stored in the White House, U.S. State Department and many other museums throughout the world including Azerbaijan State Carpet Museum in Baku, Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Museum of Art in Philadelphia as well as Louvre in Paris, Victoria and Albert Museum in London, Hermitage in St. Petersburg and many others.

Azerbaijan State Carpet Museum, the first carpet museum in the world, was established in Baku in 1967. A new carpet museum designed in the form of a rolled carpet opened in the Baku seaside park (boulevard) in 2014. The museum is famous for its unique collection, where the best samples of the national carpets are put on display.

Today, carpet weaving still continues in regions of the country, although the number of carpets being made has been reduced. To preserve this tradition and revive Azerbaijan’s weaving traditions the country aims to develop open 10 carpet production enterprises.

The process is expected to start in the first half of 2017, according to the Economy Ministry, while the preparation of “State Program of the Development of Carpet Weaving Craft” has been completed.

Experts say the realization of the state program will allow to present the world production of new Azerbaijani kilims and carpets.