Dragon

The “Dragon” carpets are among the most beautiful examples of the Garabagh carpet tradition. Featuring a unique structure, they often showcase images of various mystical animals. This type of rug was primarily woven in Garabagh, Shirvan, and Guba between the 16th and 18th centuries. Some textile fragments with dragon motifs from the Ilkhanid period (13th – 14th centuries) have survived. In Azerbaijani decorative-applied art, the dragon image alone symbolizes positive energy and can also represent water sources in Azerbaijani folk literature. In ancient Turkic mythology, dragons such as “Büke,” “Evren,” “Kök-luu,” and “Abyrga” symbolize might and power. Some historical sources mention the “Dragon City” of the ancient Huns, while in Kipchak culture, the “Begsha” dragon was regarded as a symbol of the family hearth. Several pile and flat-woven carpets from the Safavid period also feature dragon motifs.