CARPET
PATTERNS
RINGING CORDS
OF SOULS OF THE
AZERBAIJANI PEOPLE
Traveling
on the unique
Azerbaijani carpets
Dear tourist!
You are being offered the unique opportunity
to visit Azerbaijan one of the most beautiful places in
the world, named the Eden on the Earth by one of the European
scientists. Traveling is always a holiday, which is with
you for a long time. And your holiday will be enhanced with
the new knowledge, the esthetic pleasure of the sings seen,
heard, felt. Beauty is an endless discovery and you are
being offered to explore the uniqueness, originality of
Azerbaijan’s culture and art, its customs, traditions
and rituals. All of these and much more laying on the Azerbaijani
carpets in front of you speak on the languages of architecture,
music, painting, poetry…
No matter how fast the previous centuries drove humanity
forward, XXI century, came only three years ago, already
dictates its unprecedented tempo. It seemed that humanity
already has gone through all the levels of knowledge, but
the thirst of adventures, traveling, exploration is not
quenched. Rapid century of technological information gives
us the knowledge of countries and cultures. But this is
just knowledge. Mind and soul feel enlightened only while
directly contacting culture and history of another country.
And Azerbaijan calls the traveler to learn and feel it in
full dynamical proximity.
Offered tour is organized by the “Sheikh Sefi”
society, which represents the Inter-Museum Center of Azerbaijan
ICOM. “Sheikh Sefi” is the society representing
the union of Azerbaijan’s capital “Museums of
Baku”. “Sheikh Sefi”, during the tour,
will be the guide who will help tourists in his travel in
Azerbaijan.
Of course, it is hard to imagine museum tourism without
visiting the treasuries of the country museums. Today, museum
tourism has modern social form with full internal and external
structure. First of all this is a link connecting museum
tourism with another tourism spheres and general tourism
dimension.
Azerbaijan, as other countries with ancient, rich history,
has a lot of museums. They are: “Shirvanshahs’
Palace” museum reservation, museum of history, art,
music culture, literature, memorial and ethnographical museums.
State Museum of Azerbaijan Carpet and Applied Art the only
museum of this kind in the world, has a special place among
them. There are carpets from different regions of Azerbaijan,
representing seven art schools of carpet weaving. They are
Guba, Baku, Shirvan, Ganja, Gazah, Karabakh, Tebriz and
modern carpet art.
“Sheikh Sefi” society is honored to offer you
one of the tours on Azerbaijan tour “Carpet treasures
of Azerbaijan”.
Tour is estimated to last for three days. Its special future
is not just acquaintaning with the art of carpet, but also
with thoroughly balanced harmony of carpet with surrounding
world. Carpet plays a huge role in the culture, life of
Azerbaijan; it is the part of the soul of those who made
it, the love of everyone who owns it. We hope that after
visiting Azerbaijan in the group (or privately) everyone
will take back the part of our souls, which are always open
for quests.
The First Day
Visit
of Museum of Azerbaijani Carpet. All of the variety of Azerbaijan
non-piled carpets and related items, carpets with nap is
gathered in the museum’s exposition. The oldest carpet
is dated from XVII century. Here, you not only can get acquainted
with the types of carpets but also can weave your first
little carpet. In museum you will also see the items of
folk-applied art jewelry, weapons, national clothes etc.,
including some items that are dated from the Bronze Age
(III-II thousand of years B.C.). Here tourist can feel himself
a nomad in national clothes in the museum tent alachig;
resting on traditional couch he or she can taste national
dishes and take a picture like that. This is the East itself!
In museum shop you will be able to buy souvenirs, CD’s,
books, carpet items.
Visit of the medieval town Icheri Sheher the architectural
gem in the crown of Azerbaijan masonry, is planned in the
second half of the day. There are Castle walls, Maiden’s
Tower, Shirvanshahs’ Palace in the Inner town “Icheri
Sheher”. The spirit of Icheri Sheher itself is full
of the presence, patterns of Azerbaijani carpet. There are
lots of little stores where one can buy carpets or carpet
items.
The day will end at the art gallery “Boyuk Gala, 19”
with the fashion show of Sabina Hussein’s theatre,
which combines ultrafashionable garments and accessories
with carpet elements. In the gallery a dinner of traditional
cuisine will be offered to guests they can enjoy it on the
carpets in the medieval surroundings, with the music played
on the ancient instruments.
The Second Day
The
tour will start from visiting the carpet weaving workshop.
Here tourists can the process of the carpet’s birth
starting from the basic coloring of the weaves with natural
colors;
Process of creating non-piled carpets vernis, sumakhs, djedjms,
hourjins using ancient technologies and peculiarities of
carpet weaving in different regions will be demonstrated.
Tourist will see how old carpets are being restored, straightened,
cleaned. Workshop, together with “Sheikh Sefi”
gives tourist absolutely unique opportunity. This is the
purchase of the carpet and related items done with any sketch
(including your own), modern or ancient or of any school.
Certificate is immediately given, items is send to the tourists
address anywhere in the world with the payment after delivery
and two-year warranty of return and exchange. The second
half of the day includes a trip through the village Mamedli
to the temple of the ire worshippers “Ateshgyah”
where the eternal fire has been burning for the centuries.
Tongues of this flame are exactly like “buta”
the main pattern of Azerbaijan carpet. The day will end
with the dinner out of town with the participation of popular
Azerbaijani singers.
The Third Day
Tourists
are being acquainted with the activities, traditions, customs
connected with the Azerbaijan carpet (weddings, engagements,
elder’s anniversaries, family and folk holidays etc.),
they will visit houses where they can see everyday life
of the carpet makers, technique of coloring threads, the
process of weaving, and learn the nuances of symbols weaving
of carpet to the groom and his relatives by the bridge,
fortune telling with the carpets4 they will be able to listen
songs sung during carpet weaving and see other customs connected
with weaving various types of carpets. Trip will end with
the horse ride to the nomadic village, where for the centuries
carpets play most significant part in life of their inhabitants
(these trips are available in spring and summer). Two kinds
of services are being offered here: (a) trip to the Apsheron
villages Gobu and Hokmali (40 km. from Baku); (b) trip to
such regions of Azerbaijan as Shamakhi and Guba (120 and
150 km. from Baku), Lahidj (250 km.). After returning to
Baku tourist is invited to the “Mogham” folk
theatre, located in the building of Karavansaray dated by
XVII century. Here he or she will see performances “Bach
and Duma”, “Seven Moghams” with dances.
Performances will clearly demonstrate the ornamental sound
movement of moghams together with ornamental structure of
carpet. Also another interesting performance dedicated to
Azerbaijani wedding will be demonstrated national carpets
play very important role in wedding customs. Evening will
end with the dinner in Karavansaray’s restaurant.
The Fourth Day
Visit
to the artist’s workshop… This is the art gallery
named after great scientist, artist and carpet maker Lyatif
Kerimov. You can order and purchase any carpet or related
item done with his drawings and sketches. Acquaintance with
the sightseeing places of Baku.
In the second half of the day Museum of Azerbaijani Carpet
invites you again. Here, in relaxed atmosphere with food
and refreshments offered, guests will watch the performance
about national holidays, legends, myths, folklore presented
by “Garavelli” folk satiric theatre.
P.S.:
The program can be enlarged or shorted by preliminary order
