Dagestan Carpets

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DagestanCarpets

• Mikhail Nokhov
• Gymnasium 1
• Khasavyurt

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• People say "spread your carpet out and I shall
  tell you what kind of person you are. And you
  make sure of this popular wisdom when you see the
  unique works of modest carpet-makers from the
  distant mountain Lezghin and Tabasaran auks.
  Complicated and fine patters of the ornament,
  original gamut of colors are achieved with the
  help of the ordinary crochet hook and natural
  dye-stuffs from the grey clover roots, walnut,
  pear and apple-trees bark.

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• The carpet art has been formed in Dagestan during
  many centuries. Its origin and improvement were
  the result of fast development of contacts.
  According to ancient Greek historians, in the
  5-century ??, the population of West Coast of the
  Caspian Sea was occupied in making of multi??lord
  woolen fabrics. They colored fabrics with natural
  dyestuffs, which were made of plants, growing in
  the republic.

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• Oriental pattern was widespread in many regions
  and villages of Dagestan. Almost each nation of
  those who live in Dagestan has its favorites type
  of carpet.The local masters, especially women
  produced not only carpets and rugs, but also
  different knitted woolen goods, such as pillows,
  decorative mates, bags, curtains, socks and
  stockings, knitted boots and shoes.

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• Decorative embroidery was also a typical
  occupation in many villages of Dagestan. Today
  Dagestan is famous for its pile carpets, which
  are recognized not only at home, but also outside
  of it. They are produced in Lezghin, Tabasaran
  and Rutul regions and in Derbent.

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• Pile carpets, which are made there, are known
  under the name Daghestan or Derbent. They are
  widely known in our country and are exported to a
  number of foreign countries, including England,
  Germany and the U.S.A.Lezghins also make carpets
  without pile, known as sumakh which are used as
  a rule, for a floor. They are big, as one
  sumakh should cover a floor of the whole room.

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• The average time period of an exploitation of the
  carpets is about 250-300 years. Daghestan
  hand-made carpets have national character, are
  very much valued as family relic and treasure.
  They are firm, durable and heavy inimitable
  color, composition and design. Carpets as the
  works of eternally young and unique art have
  preserved the traditions and technology of the
  old past till today. They are widely used to
  decorate the interior of the houses and social
  places, they well harmonize with any furniture.

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• The main design on the Daghestan carpets consists
  of geometric ornament symbolizing silhouettes of
  animals, birds and vegetation of the surrounding 
  life and nature with typical combination of warm
  and cold contoured colors giving the design
  expressiveness and delicacy. They produce carpets
  without a pile and the ones with embossed images.
  The unique nature of the carpets require good
  qualification, exquisite taste, individual skill,
  great patience and hard work and assiduity,
  because they are made in sedentary posture.

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• Many experienced masters can perform their work
  without a technical scheme of design having it in
  their memory. A good carpet-maker very keenly,
  hardly touching the threads of yarn can perform
  about 7-8 thousand knots a day, spending only 2
  seconds on each. Depending on use each carpet has
  its own structure, design and coloring

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• Daghestan carpets are exhibited in the museum of
  New York, Paris, Montreal, Osaka, Milan, Tokyo,
  Izmir and many other places. In there quality
  Daghestan carpets are not worse than the best
  world samples. They are constantly exhibited at
  international and home fairs and shows and were
  awarded honor diplomas and gold medals at the
  international exhibition in Brussels (Belgium,
  1958), Leipzig exhibition-fair (Germany, 1967).
  The carpets are included in the world catalogue
  under the names Tabasaran, Derbent, Akhty,
  Mikrakh. From ending of August to the beginning
  of September in 2000 year in Russian Exhibition
  Centre has passed Russian Festival of economic
  and cultural cooperation "Moscow and Russian
  regions 2000".