Guide To Chelaberd Kazak Rugs

One of the best known types of Kazaks are not really Kazaks at all. These rugs the Chelaberd Kazaks are actually from Karabagh which is the region south and east of the Gendge/Kazak. However there are a number of closely related rugs that are attributable to Kuba or Shusha and there are other especially older related examples that are not specifically attributable. Hubel suggests that since Chelaberds and earlier Karabagh rugs share the same design, materials, and structure they must come from the same place even though he does note that Chelaberds are similar to rugs from the Kazak region. Hubel, Reinhard G. The Book of Carpets page 123.

Chelaberd Medallion Evolution 1592 - 1912 is a little piece I put together to help me understand the design derivation of the sunburst design. Some people I respect suggested that the Chelaberd's derive their sunburst designs from dragon carpets and other equally noteworthy writers disagree. I just decided that I wanted to lay it out for myself.

Chelaberd (Eagle Kazak) Rug

I suggest that these rugs are from the Chelaberti area or Jraberd region in Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh. Historically Artsakh or as it is sometimes called Nagorno Karabakh, was made up od Five Duchies, Khachen, Jraberd, Varanda, Dizak and Golestan. Chelaberti/Jraberd is the northern most region bordering on the Gendge/Kazak region. So when experts like Hubel not similarities to Kazaks it is normal since the two area border one another.

Chelaberd Structure:

• Warp; Wool, Z2S, natural ivory.
• Weft: Wool, Z, Z2, 2 - 4 shoots light red.
• Pile: Wool, symmetrical knot.
• Density: 9 - 11h and 7 - 9 v.
• Sides:
• Ends: Warp fringe.

According to Pete Stone, Chelaberds are all wool and have an average of 60 kpsi and average about 35 square feet. Stone attributes them to the town of Chelabi in Southern Karabagh. Oriental Rug Lexicon page 47. (JBOC I think Chelaberti in Northern Karabagh is more likely.)

According to Ian Bennett Chelaberd's rugs have warps and wefts of wool, the warp are usually natural white and the wefts are died red., knot counts tend to be around 800 per sq.dm ( 52 per sq. in). On good examples, the pile is thick and high. Oriental Rugs Volume 1 page 98.

In Oriental Rugs Volume 1 Caucasian.makes the observation that Kasim Ushak are indistinguishable from Chelaberd rugs. Kazanbulak is a neighboring town to Chelaberti (Chelaberd) in the northern most area of Karabagh (Nagorno Karabahk).

Eiland & Eiland argue for an Armenian provenance rather than a Kurdish one. Two very interesting clue they offer are the great number of Kasim Ushaks with Armenian inscriptions and perhaps more significantly the incidence of packing cables. Oriental Rugs A Complete Guide page 24. These are heavy cabled wefts at irregular intervals used to hammer down to keep the rug straight and compact. This technique is rare except in carpets such as Dragon Carpets.

Sunburst Zejwa Rug

Some Important Books On Chelaberd Kazak Rugs:

Guide to Rugs & Books

La Miniature En Orient

Southwest Asia Time Line