Carpets unite peoples
ArmRadio.am
26.07.2006 13:53
Gita Elibekyan (Yerevan)
Irina Badalova (Stepanakert)
Leila Mirijavadova (Baku)
There is a carpet shop at Sanapino Street in Tbilisi, which belongs
to Ilgar Mamudzadeh, Azerbaijani in origin, who is continuing the
work of his father and grandfather. Ilgar Mamudzadeh says that with
their national peculiarities the Caucasian carpets are both alike
and diverse. The shop owner himself does not discriminate between
Armenian, Azerbaijani, Georgian or Abkhazian carpets. Moreover,
he sincerely confesses that he likes the Armenian rugs most of all.
"Here I have Azerbaijani, Georgian and Armenian carpets. I like the
Armenian rugs, particularly "Lori-Pambak," which is very beautiful
and therefore rather expensive," Mamudzadeh says.
In Ilgar Mamudzadeh’s shop the Armenian "Karabakh" carpet costs
400 Laris, which makes about US$ 220. The owner says the Azerbaijani
"Shirvan" is cheaper, it costs 350 Laris. Ilgar has thoroughly studied
the history of carpets. He says that having old carpets at home is
a tradition. According to him, Caucasian carpets have the greatest
demand in the world. Generally, carpets comprise an indispensable part
of the dowry of Caucasian girls. For instance, in the past when an
Armenian girl married a Georgian, she started knitting carpets with
Armenian ornaments and in Georgian colors. The specialists call such
rugs "Caucasian carpets. A girls could not marry if she was unable
to knit carpets ot had no rugs in her dowry."
"Girls have been weaving these carpets day and night. I have been to
distant villages of all Caucasian countries, and I can say that this
tradition has been preserved in Azerbaijan only," the Azerbaijani
carpet seller says.
The owner of the carpet shop notes that tourists are most interested
in Caucasian rugs. The carpets brought from motherland are dear
also to Hovik Grigoryan. The latter is Ilgar Mamudzadeh’s friend
and works as salesman in the shop. The Georgian-Armenian says with
regret that at home he has only carpets of factory production. While
Azerbaijani Ilgar’s home is full of different carpets, and not only
Azerbaijani ones.
Carpets unite peoples. "I am an Azerbaijani and I work with an
Armenian. We are friends and nothing prevents us from living in peace,"
Ilgar says.