Antique Southern Saliani "Akstafa" bird rug, Neftchala District, Khol-Garabujaq village, Azerbaijan.  One of the best examples, perhaps the oldest one. wool on wool. mid 19th century

This rug was woven by my grandfather's great-grandmother. There is another rug with the same design woven around the same period by her sister. The rug has been neglected for the last 20 years by being kept in a damp warehouse. The sister rug is in a perfect condition.

IMHO, these two Saliani rugs are amongst the most important so called "Akstafa" rugs. The age (is confirmed by a few elder men in our family), the details and the richness of the design, very rare colors and elements would prove the age; there are a few similar antique pieces, but none contains so many details: peacocks, camels, small houses with the cross underneath (?); swastikas; many archaic elements; babies, women, men - all in traditional dresses, a "strange" soldier or a king with a sword, combs, domestic animals, goats, deers, wheels, crosses, weaving combs, tree of life symbols, tarantula like strange animals, birds, colorful rams horn border etc.

Vugar Dadashov

king