Dragon

The “Dragon” carpets are renowned as some of the most beautiful examples from the Garabagh carpet school. They exhibit a unique structure and typically illustrate various mystical animals. These types of rugs were predominantly woven in Garabagh, Shirvan, and Guba between the 16th and 18th centuries. Some textile fragments featuring a dragon motif have survived from the Ilkhanid period (13th – 14th centuries). In Azerbaijani decorative 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. Historical sources mention the “Dragon City” of the ancient Huns. In Kipchak culture, the “Begsha” dragon was regarded as a symbol of the family hearth. Additionally, several pile and flat-woven carpets from the Safavid period also depict a dragon motif.