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The 3rd International Symposium of
Azerbaijani Carpets
Photos and article by Mike Tschebull
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| The 3rd International Symposium of
Azerbaijani Carpets and Applied Art took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from
May 19 through May 21, 2003. Some 33 speakers made presentations, most
from Azerbaijan and Turkey, but also from Estonia, Bashkirastan, Iran,
Germany, the U.K. and the U.S. Our very gracious hosts were the
Azerbaijani Ministry of Culture, the Azerbaijani National Academy of
Sciences, and Roya Taghiyeva, Director of the Azerbaijani Carpet Museum. |
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 Baku, with a population of some three million, is situated on the
Caspian Sea and has a beautiful tree-lined waterfront esplanade. Local
cuisine, which is quite good, features Caspian fish, lamb, lots of
salads, local cheeses and breads and, of course, local vodka.
Restaurants in Baku are worth the trip. |
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We were well entertained.
Local musicians, dressed in period costume,
played at one reception. |
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Conference proceedings were held in a Soviet-era building on the
waterfront.
Simultaneous translation between English, Turkish, and
Russian was made available. |
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The Carpet Museum is a treasure trove of woven objects, the most
interesting of which are bands, bags and the myriad flatweaves that were
produced in Azerbaijan in the past.
Azerbaijani packbands are somewhat
like those from neighbouring Iran. |
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In the Museum, there were several mafrash woven by nomads who
wintered on the Apsheron Peninsula. |
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A "cypress tree variant" pile rug from the town of Bahmanli. |
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A jajim loom had been set up in the Museum for the Conference, and a
weaver labored away most of the time we were there. |
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A slit-tapestry khorjin, evidencing a pattern common on kilims from
the eastern Transcaucasus.
It is worth noting here that the glory of
Transcaucasian weaving is in its various flatwoven objects.
September 10, 2003, Mike Tschebull
Tschebull
Antique Carpets
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