Description
Mughan carpets combine general elements of carpets from several regions of Azerbaijan located close to each other in the area between the Kura and Araz rivers, including the regions of Sabirabad, Jalilabad, Saatli, and Bilasuvar. The central element of these ornaments is a hooked element – the ‘kehna pattern’. According to some sources, this element is a mark and implies a period of 12 years. In ancient Turkish calendars, time was calculated not only in days and months, but also in periods of 12 years. Each year was associated with one animal (constellation).
Interestingly, an early Netherlands artist Hans Memling (1438 –1494) used a Mughan type of carpets in his paintings. Mughan carpets are exhibited in a number of world museums.
