Dragon

The “Dragon” carpets are considered among the most beautiful examples of the Garabagh carpet school. They feature a unique structure and typically depict various mystical animals. These types of rugs were primarily woven in Garabagh, Shirvan, and Guba between the 16th and 18th centuries. Some textile fragments with dragon motifs have survived from the Ilkhanids period (13th – 14th centuries). In Azerbaijani decorative-applied art, the dragon image, when used alone, symbolizes positive energy and may also represent water sources in Azerbaijani folk literature. In ancient Turkic mythology, dragons like “Büke,” “Evren,” “Kök-luu,” and “Abyrga” symbolize might and power. Some historical sources mention a “Dragon City” of the ancient Huns. In Kipchak culture, the “Begsha” dragon symbolized the family hearth. Several pile and flat-woven carpets from the Safavid period also depict dragon motifs.