Today we will talk about KHURJUN (a valise consisting of two parts) from our Carpet Products collection.

 

A khurjun is a household item, mostly woven using a flat-woven technique with various colors of wool and cotton yarn and decorated with pompons. It consists of two parts. The top part has an opening, and when the pompon cord is pulled, the khurjun is closed. Khurjun was made in different sizes. A chiyin khurjunu is a medium-sized bag carried on the shoulder. Large-sized khurjun was usually loaded onto animals and used to transport agricultural products and other items.

 

One of the fascinating exhibits from our collection is a 20th-century khurjun from Gazakh that consists of horn elements symbolizing a totem, power, and courage. Its surface was woven using the zili technique, while the background was woven with the palas technique.

 

Khurjun. Gazakh, Azerbaijan. Early 20th century. Warp - wool; weft - wool, cotton. Interweaving, wrapping. Inv. No. 643