Page 9 - DIVA_No.24_2006

ment, manufacturing tech- architecture styles and rich
nique and the kind of article musical heritage.
in question. They are noted
for a vast variety of ornamen- Architecture
tal compositions, which now
exceed 600. Despite the reli-
Azerbaijani architecture typi-
gious taboo to depict human cally combines elements of
images the distinctive feature
East and West. Many ancient
of Azerbaijani carpets is that
architectural treasures survive
their decorative scheme com-
in modern Azerbaijan. These
phytomorphos,
prises
sites include the so-called
zoomorphos, anthropomor-
Maiden's Tower in Baku, a
phos and geometrical ele- rampart that has been dated
ments, highly convention- variously from the pre-
Shirvan Carpet alised when conveyed onto a Christian era to the XII centu- Garabagh Carpet
carpet. The greater part of car-
Colorful Azerbaijani carpets ry, and from the top of which,
pet decorative motifs is com-
were admired by the Flemish legend says, a distraught
mon to other Azerbaijani
missionary
traveller, medieval maiden flung her- But the most popular deriva-
Guillaume de Rubrouk (13th crafts too. The similarity of self. Among other medieval
ornament in metal, fabrics, tion is from Bad-kube mean-
century) and the Venetian architectural treasures reflect-
ceramics, etc. is traceable ing "blustering wind".
explorer Marco Polo. ing the influence of several
among the specimens of the Narrow alleys, dozen of small
Azerbaijan craftsmen pro- schools are the Shirvan mosques, some barely distin-
duced magnificent speci- ethnographic fund. Flowers Shahs' palace in Baku, the guishable from the houses
mens-from simple pileless and branches often elaborate palace of the Shaki khans in
colorful displays. that surround them, a handful
Sumakh type carpets to exqui- the town of Shaki in north-
of old caravanserais and
site khalcha variety. The over- central Azerbaijan, the
Having mastered manufactur- many overhanging balconies
whelming majority of carpet Surakhani Temple on the characterize Old Baku. One
compositions famed as ing techniques to perfection, Absheron Peninsula, a num- may use many metaphors
Caucasian carpets are the Azerbaijani carpet makers, ber of bridges spanning the
namely Garabagh carpet about Baku, but maybe one of
compositions of Azerbaijani Araz River, and several mau-
school, began producing sets the most tender, succinct and
artists. soleums. In the XIX and early
(dast) consisting of a large heartfelt depictions of
XX centuries, little monu-
central carpet, two side rugs Azerbaijani capital is the one
Latif Karimov (1906-1991), mental architecture was creat-
and one head piece, all united voiced many years ago by
Azerbaijani famous scholar ed, but distinctive residences one of the greatest
and carpet-maker who metic- in a single composition; were built in Baku and else-
prayer rugs (namazlig); picto- Azerbaijani composers Gara
ulously researched the history where. Among the most
rial and other types of carpets. Garayev: "To me, Baku is the
ofAzerbaijani carpets system- recent architectural monu- most beautiful city in the
atized 144 styles based on Carpets were to meet both ments, the Baku subways are
aesthetic and utilitarian world. Every morning, when
geographical regions. He noted for their lavish decor. the city wakes whether it be
identified four major types of requirements. As an object of
household use, which was its to the sun or the rain and fog,
Azerbaijani carpets based on There are more than six thou-
main purpose, the carpet every morning my city sings.
geographical origin - namely, sand architectural monuments
served to keep the house Baku is meant for art. It gives
the Guba-Shirvan, Ganja- of historical importance pre-
warm. Other types of carpets me so much pleasure to write
Gazakh, Garabagh and Tabriz served in the territory of about this city no matter if
"schools", each of which pos- included pileless mafrash, Azerbaijan such as unique
khurdjun and kheiba (travel- you write music, verse or
sesses its own distinct charac- historical open-sky site
ling bags), chuval (sacks for paint images."
teristics and coloring. "Gobustan", the fire-worship-
holding loose products), chul
pers' temple "Atashgah", the
(all kinds of coverlets), It is worth mentioning that
Azerbaijani carpets are main- Palace of Shirvan Shahs, Baku's walled Old City area
ly distinguished by the orna- yakhar ustu (saddle cover).. Baku's unique Maiden's
Presently, magnificent carpets has been included as a
Tower, the Nizami Ganjavi
and carpet articles from mausoleum tower, Shah UNESCO World Heritage
Azerbaijan are in the collec- Site. The surrounding central
Abbas Mosque, Javad Khan's
tions at the Hermitage in St.- area is delightfully cosmopol-
tomb, Momine Khatun mau-
Petersburg, the Victoria and itan with attractive turn of the
soleum tower just to name a
Albert Museum in London, 20th century buildings and
few. Furthermore, ancient
the Textile Museum in cities, fortresses, palaces, century-old "oil boom" archi-
Washington, Le Louvre in tecture with a good balance of
mausoleums, mosques, "cara-
Paris, and the Topkapi in vanserais" (guest houses) rep- local and Western-oriented
Istanbul. business.
resent interest from both sci-
entific and tourist point of
The land of Azerbaijan is not In opinion of a number of
view.
only famous for its carpets researchers, Maiden's Tower
and handicrafts but also with is an ancient defensive tower.
Baku is perhaps the "city of
its beautiful and particular But this construction strongly
Guba carpet God" or the "place of fire".
2 2006 Diva 7