Nagorno-Karabakh carpet-makers set out to revive ancient traditions

As reported by historian Melanya Balayan, the director of the Artsakh State History Museum, Nagorno-Karabakh carpet-makers have set a goal to revive the traditions of carpet-making, and embroider new carpets by using old ornaments and symbols. On November 20-23, Yerevan hosted an international conference "Armenian Node: Traditions of Carpet-Making". It was attended by 30 experts from many countries, including Austria, France, Germany, Italy, USA and Nagorno-Karabakh.

In the 4th century BC, the territory of the historical Armenian housed two administrative-political units – the Great Ike and the Lesser Ike; and the former was the cradle of carpet-making, Ms Balayan told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to her story, the trade of carpet-making in Karabakh was of great importance not only as a craft, but also as a way to communicate people's ideas, thoughts and beliefs from generation to generation.

"Karabakh-made carpets are characterized in that they contain some topical sense, represent the divine and natural phenomena and history," - said Vartan Astsatryan, one of the founders of the museum of carpets in the city of Shushi.

"By their style, Karabakh carpets are similar to French ones and carpets made by residents of ancient Bessarabia. The dominant colours are brown and pink," said Raffi Megeryan, one of the founders of the OJSC "Megeryan Carpet".

The OJSC "Megeryan Carpet" was founded back in 1917 in New York. In 2002, the Megeryans bought a former factory "Ai Gorg" and changed the technology of carpet-making used there.

"Instead of artificial paints we began using vegetable dyes. Also, our women-workers are using the famous Armenian node which has no analogues in the world. This node is very complex and demands more time, but thanks to this technology carpets are very thin, soft and strong," said Leonid Andreasyan, the Executive Director of the Company.