Collection Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum replenished with a rare pile carpet.
According to Day.Az, a veteran of the First Karabakh War, Colonel Brothers Aliyev donated to the museum the “Balyg” (fish) carpet, created at the beginning of the 20th century.
“This carpet was woven in Shusha in honor of the birth of his grandmother, Khurshud Aliyeva, who was born in 1896, and became part of her dowry. “I am convinced that the National Carpet Museum is the best place to store this family heirloom,” Aliyev noted .
Museum director Amina Malikova expressed gratitude to the colonel for his valuable gift, emphasizing that the carpet will be carefully preserved under the supervision of museum specialists. Malikova also recalled that the first exhibit of the museum, opened in 1967, was also the “Balyg” carpet.
The scientific secretary of the museum, Khadija Asadova, added that “Balyg” is one of the most recognizable carpets of Azerbaijan. “The main center of its production was Barda, although similar carpets were woven in other carpet weaving regions of Karabakh. Since the 20th century, about 70 percent of the carpets created in Shusha are decorated with a characteristic ‘fish’ pattern. Thanks to the arched elements of the ornament, in Southern Azerbaijan they are called ‘mahi’ ‘ (fish),” Asadova said.