A rare camel kilim from Khizi north of Shirvan in Azerbaijan

Rare 19th century zili and soumac kilim camel cover from Khizi, Azerbaijan

An interesting and very rare 19th century kilim from Khizi, north of Shirvan in Azerbaijan. Part of a two panel camel cover, or deve chulu, with Turkmen tree of life design elements reminiscent of tent bands and also narrow diamond bands seen in 19th century Shahsavan soumac weavings. The kilim comes from the south Caucasus region of Khizi, north of Shirvan in Azerbaijan, an area historically occupied by both Tat and Turkmen tribes. Some villages in the area were occupied by Tats, some by Turkmen and some villages were mixed. Shahsavans also migrated to the area from the south, around Savalan mountain, in the 16th and 17th centuries. This explains the cross tribal influences in the main tree of life design and soumac and zili bands. Size 120cm x 78cm.

Only one example of a complete camel cover of the same type with tree of life bands is known and is published as Plate 119 in Robert N. Nooter, ‘Rugs and Textiles from the Caucasus’, Atglen PA (2004). There is also a comparable example of a contemporary camel cover in the Azerbaijan National Museum, Carpets and Applied Art in Baku, museum inventory no. 1591, published by Museum Director Roya Tagieva in Azerbaijan Carpets (1999) Plate 293.

To read more about this rare weaving and see detailed photos, click on this link: www.kilim.ie 

www.kilim.ie