• Acta Via Serica
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.1-24
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• 2023

The art of carpet weaving is the most habitual form of traditional art in Azerbaijan, it reflects a rich inner world and occupies a special place in the history of a national culture's development. The Azerbaijani carpet has always stood out for its plots, ornaments, compositions, and high quality and the Azerbaijani people, faithful to their spiritual values, have protected and developed it throughout the centuries. In this article, several Ganja-Gazakh-type carpets from the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum collection and their artistic and technical characteristics are discussed. Specimens of material, sacred language, and ornamentation are considered. The deepest meaning is embodied in tamga in particular. Tamga is a unique phenomenon serving as an amulet, lineage sign, and self-identification of Turkic peoples. The Gazakh carpets of the Ganja-Gazakh type cover the Gazakh region of Azerbaijan, the Borchali region of Georgia, and the Goycha Lake region of Armenia. Karapapakh Azerbaijani Turks have inhabited these areas since ancient times. Tarakama (nomads) are often equated with the name Karapapakh (black hat). One of the densely populated regions of Tarakama is Gazakh. Gazakh, Garagoyunlu, Salahli, Shikhli, Kamarli, Damirchilar, Gaymagli, Goycali, Daghkasaman, Oysuzlu, Gachagan, and pile carpets with different compositions are woven in the Gazakh carpet weaving center. Large, simple in form, step-shaped or hook-like medallions, horn-shaped patterns, animal images, and stamps with symbols of ancient Turkic tribes characterize the Gazakh carpet weaving group.

• Acta Via Serica
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.119-135
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• 2016

The initial phase of the Mongol invasion resulted in the establishment of relative political stability in the vast expanses of Eurasia, which came under the control of a single political entity - the Mongol realm. This contributed to a fairly rapid restoration of the commercial links and trade routes between the East and the West. During this period, Chinese silk again became available in large quantities in the Western markets. At the same time, the beginning of silk production and manufacturing of silk fabrics in Italy and the fashion flash for these goods in Western countries affected trade between Europe and the Muslim world. The centers of silk production in the Ilkhanid Empire were some provinces of Azerbaijan and Persia, where from it was exported in large numbers along the trade routes of Anatolia and Syria to the Mediterranean ports and further to the west. There are numerous testimonies of European travelers, and Muslim authors related the international silk trade in 13th-15th centuries, ie in the era from the Mongol Ilkhanid Empire till the reign of the Turkman Aqqoyunlu dynasty. One of the most informative documentary sources on this issue are the legislative codes (kanuname) of sultan Uzun Hasan from the Aqqoyunlu dynasty regarding the eastern provinces of the Asia Minor. This article presents and analyzes the information from these documents concerning the whole range of goods related to silk and silk fabrics trade in the period under the consideration.