Dragon

The “Dragon” carpets are renowned as some of the most beautiful examples of the Garabagh carpet school. They feature a unique structure and often depict images of various mystical animals. These types of rugs were predominantly woven in Garabagh, Shirvan, and Guba between the 16th and 18th centuries. Some textile fragments with dragon motifs have survived from the Ilkhanid period (13th – 14th centuries). In Azerbaijani decorative arts, the dragon image alone symbolizes positive energy and, in folk literature, can also represent water sources.

In ancient Turkic mythology, dragons like “Büke,” “Evren,” “Kök-luu,” and “Abyrga” symbolize might and power. Some historical sources mention the “Dragon City” of the ancient Huns. In Kipchak culture, the “Begsha” dragon was a symbol of the family hearth. Numerous pile and flat-woven carpets from the Safavid period also incorporate dragon motifs.