Dragon

The “Dragon” carpets are among the most beautiful examples of the Garabagh carpet school. They feature a unique structure and often depict various mystical animals. This type of rug was predominantly woven in Garabagh, Shirvan, and Guba between the 16th and 18th centuries. Some textile fragments with dragon motifs survive from the Ilkhanid period (13th – 14th centuries). The dragon image, when used alone, symbolizes positive energy in Azerbaijani decorative and applied arts, and it can also represent water sources in Azerbaijani folk literature. In ancient Turkic mythology, dragons like “Büke,” “Evren,” “Kök-luu,” and “Abyrga” are symbols of might and power. Some historical sources mention the “Dragon City” of the ancient Huns. In Kipchak culture, the “Begsha” dragon symbolized the family hearth. Many pile and flat-woven carpets from the Safavid period also feature dragon motifs.