Shirvan Rugs More of My Notes

Shirvan Prayer Rug dated 1886 Lot 15

Shirvan Rug is the market designation for the major group of Azeri rugs. That is rugs woven by weavers whose primary language is Northern Azeri. Azeri Rugs from western Azerbaijan are often called Akstafa rugs and many rug experts maybe even most consider them a separate group. I consider Shirvan and Akstafa rugs to be two types of Azeri rugs. Shirvan Long Rug C 1890 Shirvan Rug Peppered Field early20th c Shirvan Marasali Carpet Striped field C 1800 Small Tachte Shirvan Rug end 19th The JP Morgan Shirvan Afshan Gallery Carpet c 1850 Shirvan Rug kilim-derived design Late 19th Shirvan Prayer Rug c 1870 Lot 25

SHIRVAN RUG from Arthur Urbane Dilley

(Caucasian)

Shirvan and Dagestan rugs are very similar. To the novice they seem identical. Dealers, too, are frequently at a loss to mark a distinction. The chief points of difference are these: First, the Shirvan is the coarser rug. Second, moved by the spirit of greatest gain, the Shirvan weavers have cheapened their product in material and dye. Third, influenced by the weavers of Persia, with whom they have a close relation, they frequently use cotton for weft and selvage, and are inclined to imitate Persian design.
Oriental rugs, By Arthur Urbane Dilley A. U. Dilley & co., inc., 1909

Shirvan Rug kilim-derived design Late 19th

SHIRVAN GHILEEM (Kilim) Shirvan Ghileems are always recognized by their designs, which are like those of no other Ghileem, being composed of numerous stripes running across the whole width of the rug and covered with geometrical devices similar to those of the Daghestan. These stripes are from eight to twelve inches wide with narrow plain blue, green, or red stripes between. They are nearly always woven in one piece and of good wool, but are heavy and coarse, with large openwork spaces. In size they vary from three to eight by six to twelve feet, the average being five by nine feet. The practical book of oriental rugs, By George Griffin Lewis, Lippincott, 1911

Shirvan, Nakshivan, and Erivan, are districts now merged in Georgia, which formerly belonged to Persia, from whom the two last were wrested during the late contest. They are, however, much dilapidated by the effects of almost constant warfare. Erivan is a strong fortress, not far from the lake of that name, now greatly impaired. Nakshivan was an ancient and magnificent city, but is at present in ruins. Shirvan has a fertile soil, which produces rice, wheat, and barley. At the eastern extremity of this district, on the Caspian Sea, is the town of Baku, or Baku. Near this place is the fire worshipped by the Guebres, or fire-worshippers, who affirm that it has been burning ever since the flood, and will continue to the end of the world. It is said to proceed from the inflammable nature of the soil in certain spots, which, if dug into for a few inches, and a live coal applied, will take fire and continue to burn.
An accompaniment to Mitchell's map of the world on Mercator's projection ...
By Samuel Augustus Mitchell, Published by R.L. Barnes, 1839

The Mussulman Provinces.—A. large tract of land extending along the shores of the Caspian Sea, and containing the present provinces of Baku, Derbend, Shirvan, Kuba, Sheki, with the peninsula of Apsheron and the island of Salyan, once formed a part of Albania, which belonged to the powerful monarchy of Armenia till the sixth century, when being conquered by the Sassanid monarch of Persia, Khosrow Anoushiravan, it assumed the name of Shirvan. For some time afterwards it had its independent sovereigns, who took the title of Shah, but were obliged, towards the end of the ninth century, to acknowledge the supremacy of the caliphs. The rulers of Shirvan long continued powerful, and had frequent wars with Persia. In the beginning of the fifteenth century, Emir Ibrahim of Shirvan conquered Azerbaijan, took Tauris, and even Isfahan, the capital of Persia. But the terrible revolutions which agitated that country, towards the end of the fifteenth century, brought it under the dominion of Persia, and Shirvan never recovered its independence. Divided among several rulers nominated by the Shah, it remained under the dominion of Persiauntil it was gradually invaded and finally subjugated by Russia. Shirvan borders on the province of Kuba on the north; on the cast, on that of Bakuand the Caspian Sea; on the south, on a bay of the same sea, and the provinces of Talish and Karabagh; and on the west, on the provinceof Sheki. The surface of the whole province, including the islandof Salyan, is estimated at 14,500 square versts. It contains many plains, and, except in the mountainous part, is exceedingly fertile. The climate in the plains along the shores of the Caspian is very hot and unhealthy, but this high temperature, with the great fertility of the soil, renders it capable of producing many tropical plants. The bulk of the population of Shirvan consists of the Tartar, or, to speak more correctly, Turkish race, with some admixture of Arabs and Persians. It may be divided into several classes; as the begs and agas, or nobles, the clergy, the maafs, the maaf-nookers, and the peasants. All these distinctions originated under the former native governments, ant) are rather connived at than maintained by Russia. The begs are the landowners, to whom the peasants living on their lands are obliged to make certain payments in money, and others also in kind or in labor. The dignity of the beg was granted by the sovereign, and continued in the family more by custom than by law. The title of aga is given to those individuals who are descended from the families of the khans. The clergy enjoy great consideration among the natives, being the expounders of the Koran, by which not only the religious but the civil concern of the Mohammedans are regulated. The maafs arc individuals exempted from every tax and duty, generally only for a certain period. This immunity was acquired either by some services rendered to the khans or by purchase. The maafnookers were exempted from the payment of every kind of taxes, but were under an obligation to serve the khan in the field, and to perform certain services, such as the carrying of dispatches, collecting imposts, &c. The peasants are all free, and there are no serfs among the Mohammedans of the Caucasian provinces. The merchants, artisans, and other inhabitants of towns pay no direct taxes to the government, but are obliged to provide military quarters, horses, or cattle for military transport, and to contribute to the maintenance of public buildings, &c. Besides the Mohammedans, who form the mass of the population, there are many Armenians, some Jews, and a few Gypsies. According to the official returns of 1831, the number of males belonging to the Mohammedan population was 62,934; Armenians, 6,375; Jews, 332: total males, 69,641. The prevalent language of Shirvan is what is there called Turki or Turkish, which is also used in Azerbaijan. The principal products of Shirvan are rice, silk, wine, some cotton, and tobacco. The climate, particularly of that part which is called the Island of Salyan, and which is in fact the Delta of the Koor, is so warm and so fertile that it would produce in the greatest abundance many tropical plants, but its natural advantages have hitherto been turned to little account. This island has also rich fisheries, which bring in to the government on an average, an annual revenue of about 28.000/. The industry of Shirvan consists chiefly in the manufacture of silken stuffs, which are concentrated in the town of Old Shamakhi and some villages in its vicinity, and which occupy about 700 looms, each requiring the co-operation of four individuals. There are also some cotton manufactures as well as a few tanneries in the same place. The district of Laguish, which is situated in the mountains and in a very cold and barren region, is inhabited by a population entirely distinct from that of the rest of Shirvan, who are exclusively employed in the fabrication of arms, copper vessels, and sundry metal wares, from which they derive considerable profit, as is apparent from their condition being superior to that of the rest of the inhabitants of Shirvan. The commerce which is carried on with Persia by the Caspian Sea, and with Astrakan and Tiflis overland, is not considerable. The chief place of the province is the town of Old Shamakhi, which was celebrated for its trade during the middle ages, when it was the chief mart and the centre of that commercial intercourse which we have already described. It continued to be an important city, notwithstanding the change of the above-mentioned commercial route, as well as many political vicissitudes ; and it was in the most flourishing condition at the beginning of the eighteenth century, when it was sacked (1717) in the most barbarous manner by the highlanders of Dagestan. Since that time Shamakhi has never recovered its ancient splendor, and it is now inhabited, according to the official returns of 1832, by only 2233 families. Penny cyclopaedia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, Volumes 11-12 (Great Britain) Publisher            C. Knight, 1838

Related Links Shirvan Rugs the O'Connell Guide - Caucasian Rugs