Culture policy

Home page

Culture policy

Shirin Melikova: “Garabagh, Nakhchivan, Shamakhy carpets are presented in many places as the Caucasian carpets”

04 March 2020 15:49 (UTC +04:00)

“I have to note with the sense of regret that in a number of the world museums, galleries and private collections, the carpets of South Azerbaijan – Tebriz and Ardabil carpets are presented as the Iranian carpets, and the carpets of Garabagh, Nakhchivan, Shamakhy and other regions are presented as the Caucasian carpets. We encounter such cases frequently. Currently we establish relations with museums in regard to this area of activity and try to eliminate these issues”, said the director of Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum Shirin Melikova in her interview with APA.

She said in most museums the Azerbaijani carpets are exhibited as the Iranian or the Caucasian carpets: “In very rare cases we witness the use of the Azerbaijan title. But last year, by our initiative, the 3 Azerbaijani carpets stored in the Louvre Museum were brought to country and were exhibited here for the first time. It is gladdening that these carpets are presented at Louvre under the Azerbaijan title. This is very important for us because among them, there are also Garabagh’s Chelebi carpets”.

Sh.Melikova noted that in the permanent display of the Turkic and Islamic Art Works Museum being one of the largest museums in Istanbul, the Azerbaijani carpets are also described as the Caucasian carpets. “In order to give correct attribution to the exhibit items related to Azerbaijan and situated here, the conditions have been created for our specialists’ working in the funds of the Turkic and Islamic Art Works Museum. Thus the correct attribution has been given to about 100 rare Azerbaijani carpets stored in the Turkic and Islamic Art Works Museum, and the gracefully designed catalogue in Turkish and English languages consisting of those carpets has been prepared. On March 13, the presentation to the wider public of the exhibition and the catalogue consisting of those carpets will be held at the Turkic and Islamic Art Works Museum”.

She also said the correct attribution has also been given to the Azerbaijani carpets and tapestries presented under the title of Iran or Caucasus at Georgia’s National Museum, and a catalogue consisting of those artifacts has been published.