Findighan Rugs
Findighan (also, Fyndygan and Yukhary Fyndygan) is a village and municipality in the Xizi Rayon of Azerbaijan. Today, it has a population of 405. In the 19th century, however, it was a big village with a rather big carpet production.
Xizi (Khizi, Khyzy) is a district east of the Azerbaijan Republic. It is located on the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus mountain range facing the Caspian Sea. Rugs and carpets woven in Findighan are categorized as Xizi, and ultimately as either Baku or Shirvan. Nevertheless, these pieces have their own unique designs which make them recognizable at the first glance.
Technical aspects and the structure of Findighan Rugs
Antique Findighan rugs have an average knot density of 115 knots per square inch. Knots are symmetrical (Turkish). Warps and Piles are woolen. Wefts may be either cotton or wool. Yarns are Z spun.
Dyeing and painting of Findighan rugs
Various shades of red (mostly obtained from madder’s root) and blue (obtained from indigo) are dominant on Findighan palette. Combinations of purplish reds and greyish blues are found as well as combinations of rich madder and navy blue.
Olive green, yellow, orange, madder pinks are common. Undyed sheep wool and camel hair bring many hues on the region’s palette such as ivory, dark and medium browns, cinnamon, orange, khaki, camel, grey, black, etc.
Designs and patterns of the Findighan rugs
The medallion attributed to Findighan consists of a cruciform with pointy ends up and down the vertical arm jutting out of the horizontal frame of the cross. The vertical arm is usually filled with a mirroring pair of trees of life. The Horizontal arm filled with ‘hauzes’ which are rectangles resembling pools. Around the cruciform may be filled with either stellate motifs or mirroring stylized animals.
Such medallions are mostly used in double and triple-medallioned structure. Fields are rather narrow, while the borders consist of multiple strips filled with rows of tiny motifs.
