Dragon

The design of these earrings draws inspiration from the motifs of historical Azerbaijani rugs known as “Ajdahaly” or “Khatai.” These rugs were primarily woven in Karabagh, and possibly in Shirvan and Kuba, from the 16th to the 18th centuries. Some textile fragments featuring dragon motifs have survived from the Ilkhanid Period (13th-14th centuries).

The renowned “Dragon & Phoenix carpet” from the Meiser Collection, currently housed in the Berlin Museum, symbolizes the immortality of the divine and the triumph of eternal life. The phoenix, soaring above the “S” shaped ‘divine’ dragon, represents potent and auspicious powers. This rug is thought to have been crafted by the Karakoyunlu or Akkoyunlu tribes in Nakhchivan or Kazak during the 15th century.

In Azerbaijani decorative art, the dragon motif symbolizes positive energy and may also represent water sources in Azerbaijani folklore. In ancient Turkic mythology, the dragon “Büke or Evren” embodies might and power. It is believed, particularly in mountainous Central Asia, that dragons still reside in the Tian Shan/Tengri Tagh and Altay mountains. Historical sources mention the “Dragon City” of the ancient Huns, and several pile and flatwoven carpets from the Safavid Period also depict dragon motifs.