Carpets

Though women historically predominated in Armenian villages, numerous notable carpet-weavers in Karabakh are known to have been men, and in some cases entire families took up the profession. The oldest preserved Armenian carpet from the region, known as Artsakh during the medieval era, originates from the early 13th century and comes from the village of Banants (near Gandzak). The Armenian term for carpet, gorg, appeared in historical records for the first time in a 1242-1243 Armenian inscription on the wall of the Kaptavan Church in Artsakh. This is one of Unique Cultural Characteristics In Armenia that you can learn more.

According to art historian Hravard Hakobyan, "Artsakh carpets hold a distinctive place in the history of Armenian carpet-making." The portrayal of dragons and eagles was a common motif and design found on Armenian carpets. They were varied in style, rich in color and ornamental themes, and were even classified based on the creatures represented on them, such as artsvagorgs (eagle-carpets), vishapagorgs (dragon-carpets), and otsagorgs (serpent-carpets).

The art of carpet weaving was also inextricably linked to the production of curtains, as evidenced by a passage by Kirakos Gandzaketsi, a 13th-century Armenian historian from Artsakh, who praised Arzu-Khatun, the wife of regional prince Vakhtang Khachenatsi, and her daughters for their weaving expertise and skill.

Foreign visitors to Artsakh were likewise impressed by the Armenian carpet; the Arab geographer and historian Al-Masudi stated, among other things, that he had never seen such carpets before in his life.