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Azerbaijani carpets: art and part of every life event, from birth to death. Photo story

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Azerbaijani carpets

Carpet weaving is a source of pride in Azerbaijan, regarded as an art with a cultural heritage spanning thousands of years. In 2010, Azerbaijani carpet art was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

In ancient times, people in Azerbaijan said that a carpet accompanies a person from birth to death—and this was no metaphor.

From infancy, children played on carpets; carpets were given to brides as part of their dowry; life was lived among carpets, and when a person died, their body was covered with a carpet.

Moreover, even in the early 20th century, most Azerbaijani homes lacked chairs, armchairs, and sofas. Carpets served as their replacements.

Carpet weaving is a source of pride in Azerbaijan, regarded as an art with a cultural heritage spanning thousands of years. In 2010, Azerbaijani carpet art was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Azerbaijani carpets: art and part of every life event, from birth to death. Photo story

Types of carpets

The art of Azerbaijani carpets is divided into four schools:

Tabriz School. The city of Tabriz, inhabited by ethnic Azerbaijanis, is now the center of Iran’s East Azerbaijan province. Luxurious silk carpets were woven there. Tabriz carpets are usually pastel-toned and richly decorated with floral patterns.

Karabakh School. Since rooms in Karabakh homes were often as large as football fields, carpets were woven in sets of five to cover the entire floor. The main feature of Karabakh carpets is their bright colors and floral motifs, usually made of wool.

Guba-Shirvan School. These carpets are more restrained and strict, with patterns dominated by “medallions” arranged in one or several rows.

Baku School. Carpet weaving in Baku was less developed than in other regions. Baku residents typically imported carpets and sold them. Baku carpets have their own distinctive traits: simple geometric patterns and a color palette dominated by ochre.

Azerbaijani carpets: art and part of every life event, from birth to death. Photo story

All of the above refers to pile, fluffy carpets. There are also flat-woven carpets, which are simpler to make and more practical to use. These were not only used to cover floors or hang on walls but were also made into blankets, bags, and pouches for storing salt and bread.

In ancient times, people in Azerbaijan said that a carpet accompanies a person from birth to death—and this was no metaphor. From infancy, children played on carpets; carpets were given to brides as part of their dowry; life was lived among carpets, and when a person died, their body was covered with a carpet. Moreover, even in the early 20th century, most Azerbaijani homes lacked chairs, armchairs, and sofas. Carpets served as their replacements.

Protection and promotion

The Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum was established in 1967 and considers the preservation of craftsmanship its main goal. In May 2025, the museum held the “Art of Rabat Carpet” festival, supported by the Ministry of Economy, the state company Azerkhalcha, and the Icherisheher Reserve Administration.

A photo report by JAMnews from this open-air festival in the old part of Baku:

In ancient times, people in Azerbaijan said that a carpet accompanies a person from birth to death—and this was no metaphor. From infancy, children played on carpets; carpets were given to brides as part of their dowry; life was lived among carpets, and when a person died, their body was covered with a carpet. Moreover, even in the early 20th century, most Azerbaijani homes lacked chairs, armchairs, and sofas. Carpets served as their replacements.
In ancient times, people in Azerbaijan said that a carpet accompanies a person from birth to death—and this was no metaphor. From infancy, children played on carpets; carpets were given to brides as part of their dowry; life was lived among carpets, and when a person died, their body was covered with a carpet. Moreover, even in the early 20th century, most Azerbaijani homes lacked chairs, armchairs, and sofas. Carpets served as their replacements.
In ancient times, people in Azerbaijan said that a carpet accompanies a person from birth to death—and this was no metaphor. From infancy, children played on carpets; carpets were given to brides as part of their dowry; life was lived among carpets, and when a person died, their body was covered with a carpet. Moreover, even in the early 20th century, most Azerbaijani homes lacked chairs, armchairs, and sofas. Carpets served as their replacements.
In ancient times, people in Azerbaijan said that a carpet accompanies a person from birth to death—and this was no metaphor. From infancy, children played on carpets; carpets were given to brides as part of their dowry; life was lived among carpets, and when a person died, their body was covered with a carpet. Moreover, even in the early 20th century, most Azerbaijani homes lacked chairs, armchairs, and sofas. Carpets served as their replacements.
In ancient times, people in Azerbaijan said that a carpet accompanies a person from birth to death—and this was no metaphor. From infancy, children played on carpets; carpets were given to brides as part of their dowry; life was lived among carpets, and when a person died, their body was covered with a carpet. Moreover, even in the early 20th century, most Azerbaijani homes lacked chairs, armchairs, and sofas. Carpets served as their replacements.
In ancient times, people in Azerbaijan said that a carpet accompanies a person from birth to death—and this was no metaphor. From infancy, children played on carpets; carpets were given to brides as part of their dowry; life was lived among carpets, and when a person died, their body was covered with a carpet. Moreover, even in the early 20th century, most Azerbaijani homes lacked chairs, armchairs, and sofas. Carpets served as their replacements.
The art of Azerbaijani carpets is divided into four schools
In ancient times, people in Azerbaijan said that a carpet accompanies a person from birth to death—and this was no metaphor. From infancy, children played on carpets; carpets were given to brides as part of their dowry; life was lived among carpets, and when a person died, their body was covered with a carpet. Moreover, even in the early 20th century, most Azerbaijani homes lacked chairs, armchairs, and sofas. Carpets served as their replacements.
In ancient times, people in Azerbaijan said that a carpet accompanies a person from birth to death—and this was no metaphor. From infancy, children played on carpets; carpets were given to brides as part of their dowry; life was lived among carpets, and when a person died, their body was covered with a carpet. Moreover, even in the early 20th century, most Azerbaijani homes lacked chairs, armchairs, and sofas. Carpets served as their replacements.

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