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Ref. No: 0407-27

Type: Kuba-Shirvan

Group: Kuba

Sub-Group: Pirabadil

Origin Country: AZERBAIJAN, Pirabadil Village

General/Historical Information:  The village Pirabadil is located 15 km far from Devechi. Local carpet makers call it "Burma", "Qyrmaq" and "Qaychi" (Shears in Azeri language). The old name of this carpet is Migrazi or Graz, which in Arabic means "shears".

The main element of this carpet is the shears-shaped ornament which is located in central field. Here it is necessary to talk about the historical progress of pile carpets, it will be helpful to understand why the ancient people chose exactly this name for the carpet.

The history of carpet making consists of 4 steps:

1)The ancient people used the strong fibrous outer layer of certain plant stems, consisting of phloem tissue, such as flax or hemp, to make cords. And they used these cords to manufacture one colored bast mats, floor coverings, shawls. And later they started to use the wool of animals to make palazes (very simple flat woven carpet) and jejims with simple lines and straps and natural colors.

2)The second period: This is an important stage in the history of carpet making. The people started to make kilims with primitive ornaments. They started to use more complex method of weaving.

3) The method of weaving is in the peak of progress. They started to make zili, sumakh, shadda and verni carpets. The ornaments were developed and became much more complex. Jewelry and precious stones were used to decorate the carpets. From the artistic point of view this stage is considered as the most important stage of carpet making.

4)With the invention of metal the people started to make more useful and strong tools such as shears, scissors and etc. This process stimulated the people to make hand knotted carpets with pile.

To make the metal
shears, was a very important invention in carpet making history. They were using to cut the pile or to shorten them. For the same reason, the historical sources shows that the carpets with pile were called Qaychi or Migrazi in the beginning.

Art Analysis: The main elements of Pirabadil carpet:

Central Field

1) Shears -Qaychi (There is another theory proclaims that this ornament is the symbol of horns (buynuz) or a ram (Goch), which means courage and manliness) - in the central field
2) Camel - is located in the central field.
3)Leaves of fruit trees
4)Octagon medallions (not in this sample)

Click here to see the details in pictures

Borders

1)
Central Kayma
2)Zenjire (Pakhlava)
3)
Secondary kayma
4)
Medakhil (in Kazak region it is called chomche, in Karabagh - "pitik" or "achma-yumma", north eastern part of Azerbaijan -mollabashy)
5)
Jagi

Background color of the carpet is generally dark blue, but sometimes it could be made in dark red as well. (as in this sample)

Pile: WOOL

Warps: wool

Wefts: cotton

Density/Kpsm (knots per square meter): (40x50) up to 200 000

Colors: Naturally dyed

Size: 123cmx180cm

Area:
2.21m2

AGE: 1980th years

Condition: excellent

Technical Analysis: Density of "Pirabadil" carpets varies from 40x40 to 45x45 per square decimeter. (from 160.000 to 200.000 knots per square meter)

The height of pile: 4-5 mm

Comments: Pirabadil type of carpets are one of the best of Azerbaijan Rugs. There are very beautiful  samples of Pirabadil carpets in The State Museum of Azerbaijan Art, and also in The State Museum of Azerbaijan Carpet and Applied Art.

Researched and prepared by Vugar Dadashov




See also "the ornament details of other Pirabadil carpets"

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