Treasures Brought Back to the Homeland: Carpets Garagashli and Kamarli

The Turkish carpet collectors, Metin Konukchu and Huseyn Konukchu donated the Guba carpet Garagashli of the 1870s and Gazakh carpet Kamarli, dating back to the late 19th – early 20th century to the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum.

This significant event is a successful result of the consistent and purposeful activity within the project Return of Rare Azerbaijani Carpet Samples to the Historical Homeland, held by the museum.

The central field of the navy blue background of the Garagashli carpet is decorated with the medallions commonly known as chalghi alati (musical instrument), sajayaghi (tripot), and gul (flower) patterns, reminiscent of eight-pointed star, flower pot, along with human and animal images. The central field is surrounded by the main border called mashal (torch) or shamdanli (candlestick). These patterns symbolize light.

Another precious artwork is the well-known Kamarli carpet of Gazakh. Its central field is adorned with the diamond-shaped medallions with the large hooks. The hooks depicted inside each other are borrowed from the ancient Turkic tamgas. The medium-sized medallions filled with the colourful squares symbolize fertility and sowing. The central border of the carpet is decorated with the elements called givrim (curl), agrab (scorpion), garmagli (hooked).

Return of the artworks that were apart from their Homeland for the decades is a very significant historical and cultural event not only for the museum, but for the entire country. The enrichment of ANCM collection with such carpet samples every year serves to the strengthening of the museum’s influence and turns ANCM into an important research centre for local and foreign researchers.

Labeling:

Garagashli Carpet. Guba, Azerbaijan. Late 19th – early 20th century. Warp, weft, pile – wool. Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum. Donated by Metin Konukchu, citizen of Turkiye, carpet collector, in 2024.

Kamarli Carpet. Gazakh, Azerbaijan. Late 19th – early 20th century. Warp, weft, pile – wool. Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum. Donated by Metin Konukchu, citizen of Turkiye, carpet collector, in 2024.