Armenian carpet weaving has a history of thousands of years. As a craft it has been developed in Armenia since ancient times. The Greek historian Xenophon (5th–4th century BCE) mentioned Armenian carpet weaving in his work Anabasis, mentioning the production of carpets from precious fabrics. “…one of the carpets taken from Armenia by the general Timasion of Dardan was worth 10 minas (about 4.4 kg of gold).”
Armenian carpets are especially known for their quality, achieved through fine, smooth threads. To produce high-quality yarn, Armenians bred long-haired sheep, whose wool was processed into exceptionally soft and shiny fibers, which was one of the main advantages of the Armenian carpet. A widely used dye was Vordan Karmir (Red). The Greek historian Herodotus (5th century BCE) wrote that Caucasians dyed wool with plant-based colors, processed it into thread, and illustrated it.
Rug and Carpet
In Armenian, gorg (rug) and carpet are synonymous, but rug refers to a pile carpet, while carpet has no pile. The word rug first appears in inscriptions from the Kaputavanq Church in Tavush (1242–1243), while carpet is first mentioned in a 5th-century Gospel.
Oldest Carpets
The oldest textiles in Armenia were found in the Artik tombs (16th–9th century BCE), featuring patterns like crosses and T-shaped symbols, still present in Armenian carpets today.
Among the excavated fabrics of the Teisheban fortress (Karmir Blur, 7th century BC), there are fragments of carpets and rugs, evidence that the Urartians were familiar with carpet weaving. The Pazyryk carpet, dated to the 5th century BCE, was discovered in 1949 in the Altai Mountains. The carpet remained frozen in the tomb for about 2,500 years and, thus, free from any external influence, has reached our times.
Folklore and Beliefs
- In folk beliefs, the carpet was so sacred that it was believed that it could even cure infertility. It is said that in ancient Armenia, when a woman did not give birth to a child, a special carpet was woven for her. Women received specially woven carpets (Nshagorg), decorated with fertility symbols like almonds and small human figures. The carpet had to be made by someone very close to the barren woman, who had to say blessings, sing and praise God throughout the process of making the carpet, asking to grant her relative a child. Once finished, the woman lay beneath the loom as the carpet was cut and draped over her, transferring its accumulated energy and making the woman ready to conceive and bear a child.
- Hanging a carpet behind newlyweds was believed to protect them from evil and bring fertility. Placing a carpet under the deceased ensured a peaceful afterlife. According to legend, Queen Shamiram placed the lifeless body of Ara the Beautiful on a carpet, hoping it would revive him.
- Royal carpets were woven exclusively for kings. Carpets were so important that even if the king was not in the room or tent, when passing by the carpet, they would bow down, as if they were bowing to the king. In addition, no one had the right to stand on that carpet.
- Armenian carpets are frequently mentioned in folklore, tales, and the epic David of Sassoun. In the fairy tale Anahit, the heroine agrees to marry a prince only if he learns a craft, choosing carpet weaving.
- In ancient Armenia, carpets were considered sacred, symbolizing the universe. The medallion at the center represented life, eternity, and wisdom, while the surrounding field depicted cosmic space with symbolic images of earth, water, fire, sun, stars, plants, animals, and humans.
Uses of Carpets
In Armenia, carpets were originally intended for domestic purposes. They were hung on the walls, thrown on the floor, on the couch, on the bed or on the chest. In temples, carpets served as curtains for the prayer room or altar. In homes, carpets covered doorways or separated living spaces. Over time, they became luxurious decorations in royal palaces and feudal castles.
Even the 13th-century Italian traveler Marco Polo, who explored much of the world, stated that Armenians wove the finest and most beautiful carpets. Two centuries earlier, in the 11th century, Armenian carpets were already being officially traded at the highest state level.
Armenian Carpets in Trade
Historical records show Armenian carpets being traded in Cairo markets. Bright carpets produced in Asyut, Egypt, were highly valued for their resemblance to Armenian carpets. Even among Persian carpets, the finest ones imitated Armenian designs. The most prized carpets in Isfahan were made by Armenian artisans deported from Julfa to Iran by Shah Abbas.
Carpet Typology
In the typology of Armenian carpets, the names of types are accepted as the name of the region or settlement to which the given type is most characteristic, the name of the geometric shape of the carpet field, or the name of the thematic direction or main composition of the decorative system.
Accordingly, the following groups are distinguished:
- Floral
- With cross-shaped or cross-shaped composition
- With large multi-layered composition
- With diagonal decoration
- With star decoration
- Altar
- With compositions enclosed in a single decorative frame
- With colored layers
- With dragon motif
- Jraberd
- Thematic-Imaginary
Carpet Ornaments
Armenian carpets are classified by region, geometric patterns, or thematic composition. The most distinctive feature is their ornamentation, as each symbol has a meaning. The most common motif is the symbol of God, depicted as a blooming cross, sun, or star, often placed at the center. The Tree of Life is another frequent design.
Many museums worldwide house unique Armenian carpets, proving that this ancient tradition has endured for thousands of years.
