ON SOME PECULIARITIES OF TALYSH DECORATIVE- APPLIED ART

Nurangiz Ali Kerimova, Baku Slavic University, Republic of Azerbaijan

 ON SOME PECULIARITIES OF  TALYSH DECORATIVE- APPLIED ART

Key  words: Talysh,   decorative-applied art, carpet-making,   ornament, zoomorphic and anthropomorphic motifs, household and ritual ceramics.

Talysh is one of most interesting ethnic groups,  inhabited the Southern part of Azerbaijan. In historical and ethnographic sources   about Talysh people  quite different, sometimes  even contradictive opinions exist.  Well-known scientist Ahmad Kasrari wrote, that in ancient Greek   sources  the peoples,   settled in Iran   are    listed,  but   Talyshes are not mentioned among them.  Talyshes became known after Arabian  scientists’ works, it was  Ahmad Kasrari   made attempt to retrace    transformation of  ethnonym  “kadus”   or “tallish” (talesh). (4, 283-288). 

Outstanding Russian scientist, academician  V.V. Bartold  also    wrote, that  in  early   sources Talyshes  were not  mentioned.   So, V.V. Bartold wrote, that “ in   Iran, in Lankaran   district, to the North from gilan tribes  “tallish” tribes live. They are  close to  gilans and   the name “tallish” wasn’t known in midcentury period.” (5, 273). 

 In   Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic   Dictionary  (published  at the end of XIX- beginning of XX century)    the  Talyshes   are mentioned as  the tribe of Iranian  genesis. They settles the territory called Talysh and  speak  special    language,  similar  to Persian language. (8, 237). According information, published in  “Alphabet list of peoples, living in Russian empire” (1886),    Talyshes,    lived in southern part of Lankaran district of Baku   province, the  number of  Talysh population was  50 150. (9, 68). The first   all-Russian general census  of population   carried out  in 1897    registered  35 291 citizens,   speaking    Talysh language. (10, 91).  According results of that  census of population   Talyshes      made up   1,9 %  of Azerbaijan inhabitant. (11, 9).    

According information, given by N.K. Zeydlitz, Talyshes   formed  half of Lankaran district  population (43, 33% Talyshes and 44, 20% Azerbaijanis) (12,53).  At the end of   XIX- beginning of XX century   Talyshes saved  the signs of tribal  division. (13, 194). D.A.  Kistenev  studied   demographic  situation in Lankaran district  of Azerbaijan, presented  names of five groups of Talyshes:   Talyshes, Pornaims, Alars, Oratlins and Zuvands. (4,27). But, to our mind, it would be more reasonable  to present short   review from Wikipedia.(2, 39).  In Wikipedia   about   ethno-genesis and  history of Talyshes  very interesting   information   is given. E.g. B.V. Miller  thinks “the word “tallish” means the name of   one of  most ancient  inhabitant   of these  place”. (2,17). 

In second half  of XV   century   the owners of Talysh khanat   supported   Sefevids in the  war,   in which  Gizilbashes  fought   with Shirvanshakhs and  sultans of Ag-Goyunlu state. That’s why Talyshes   were  included  in unit of    Gizilbash  tribes.   Talyshes were the only  Persian   speaking  and  non-nomadic   people    among Gizibashes, and were considered as “special”  tribe  with specific   traditions.  (9, 31). So, Gilan province    was inhabited by Talyshes  and Gizilbashes and in politics and economic   it was  connected with  internal Iran very little. The  researches, carried  out in soviet period of the  XX century among the Talyshes proved once again that the Talyshes differ from other ethnic groups living in Azerbaijan by their courage and skills.  This peculiarity is seen most obviously in Talysh decorative-applied art.   

The high level of development of the culture of  the Talysh people   is notable   for its  diversity. That diversity  is seen  in   quite different  artifacts , such as  household and ritual ceramics, weapons, jewelry, stamp-amulets (stamp-amulets from ancient times combined the function of an ornament-amulet with  a sign of ownership and also had   utilitarian value.) An analysis of the decoration of  ceramic products and motifs used in the compositions of metal amulets and talismans indicates that, objects of applied art, except traditional   ornaments   also contain a group of geometric,  floral , anthropomorphic and zoomorphic motifs,  inclusions,    pictorial quotes in the form of figures  of   fantastic and hybrid creatures, animals and plants,  non-typical for the region, and  others. 

In  this region for many centuries, in the décor of applied art objects  the dominant place was occupied by solar and astral symbols. These symbols existed    simultaneously  with images of totem animals of the local substrate (goat, snake, etc.). Afterwards,   these   symbols  began to be pictured  along with   pictograms and epigraphy. In  this connection interesting fact  should be pointed out. This fact  is the  using   of foreign figurative elements in combination with regional symbols in  compositions, which were  created   basing  on the local graphic texture,  namely in the decor of applied arts. These elements  are characterized by the use of graphic symbols without penetrating  into the   “meaning” of borrowed characters. This   feature is  seen most clearly  in the decor and ornamentation of ceramic products and carpets. 

The Talysh   people   created   many-sided   and comprehended  culture in  various   spheres  of handicrafts. Among them, woodworking,  carpet weaving, metalworking, pottery and mat making were developed most highly at all times. Materials  about   different   branches of handicraft production   prove  that the Talysh  craftsmen have accumulated rich experience and empirical knowledge in this   sphere. E.g. numerous ceramic kilns found by archaeologists in Lankaran and other regions of Talysh  let suggest that most  part of the ceramic products found  during  excavations, carried out  in the area under consideration are products of local craftsmen.   Samples of highly artistic stone carving,  peculiar for  the Qajar period in the region under consideration, have been preserved in the form of tombstones. Tombstones, animal sculptures, as well as earlier samples of this art, are decorated with geometric and floral ornaments. The   epigraphy performed by   talented  calligraphers, along with plot images reflected the most important episodes from the life of the buried.

 The history of carpet art in the Talysh region also   engendered   very early. Talysh carpets  are exhibited in  many famous public  museums and galleries, such as  the Hermitage in  Saint-Petersburg, , the Museum of History, the Museum of the Peoples of the East,   The Armory Museum  in Moscow, the Metropolitan Museum in New York,  in Victoria and Albert Museum in London, in the Louvre in Paris, in Tehran and Isfahan carpet museums, in the Topkapi Palace Museum in Istanbul and many others.  Very interesting  samples of Talysh carpets  are  kept also in private collections.  They are carefully kept also  in other museums in Moscow and  Saint-Petersburg, Kyiv, Tashkent, Tbilisi. 

Тalysh carpets   passed  through four stages of development:  at  first felt carpets appeared, then  pileless carpets (palases), and even later zili,  verni  and sumakhs began to be woven. Finally,   the    last  stage  of carpet-weaving was connected  with creating of complex ornamental pile carpets. In particular,   in the   houses of wealthy Talyshes, traditionally the carpet  sets -(dasts)  were used,   they  consisted of   4 carpets of three standard sizes.  In the set   two “kenare”,  one “kelleyi” and    one   “khali”  was included. Talysh pile carpets have been woven for centuries  by means  of   two forms of knotting technique – “gullabi” (turkbab) and “dolama” (farsbab)  As for carpet compositions   kinds, their number   is   really unlimited.   

In some cases  a rich and complex composition was   widespread  within the boundaries of one village, city or ethnic group where these carpets were  woven.      These compositions  were traditionally  passed down from generation to generation and were considered as a valuable heritage.  Carpets containing "quotes" from architectural monuments, (both Islamic and Christian), are also widely known. In  ornamental motifs  of such carpets  many elements of architectural structures - arches and portals, columns and domes, windows and hanging lamps (gandil) are included. 

The high density   of carpet tie-knots  is  distinctive feature of the Talysh pile carpet.  In some carpets the famous architectural monuments of the East, the shrines of the Muslim world are  pictured (certainly, they are   depicted   schematically). In the structure of    decorative compositions of small prayer rugs (namazlig),  usually   some  architectural detail, e.g. a mihrab (a niche of the mosque altar) is included. The    prosperity period  of   Talysh carpets in Qajar period is illustrated  most fully by specimens from the collections of museums in Baku (State Museum of Azerbaijani Carpet and Folk Applied Arts named after Latif Karimov), in Zurich (Rietberg   museum), in Glasgow (The Burell Collection), in  Washington (Textile Museum), New York (Metropolitan Museum of Art), Istanbul (Top-Kapi Museum), Moscow (Museum of Oriental Art), Kyiv (Museum of Oriental and Western Art), and many others. 

 As it’s  known, in Azerbaijan  Talyshes were busy by  other kinds of  weaving.    So, they wove  “jejims” (handmade woolen fabric), and passed its secrets to Azerbaijanis,  wove traditional “jorabs” (socks).  Besides, Talyshes  were busy by making of  floor-mats from most ancient  time and were always  skilful masters in this sphere.   

It  should be pointed,  that in Midcentury period  in Azerbaijan   two kinds of floor –mats existed. These floor-mats differed from each other by their  technique and artistic design.  The first type was called “buriya”, second one was called “hesir”.   Buriya  was the simplest kind of floor mats.  It’s ornament  consisted of   wide  diagonal  stripes,   these stripes  remind  design of parquet.  In Masalli,   Lankaran, and Astara    regions  of Azerbaijan  in houses   with  clay floor  buriya and hesir are  spread   under carpets in order to  protect them from   dampness. In old time those   inexpensive  articles were   widely used  in everyday  life of simple people.   

In midcentury Azerbaijani poetry floor-mat “buriya” is mentioned very often. The floor-mat buriya  became a part of literary character and  it characterizes  the type of    hypocrite and  dissembler,    who   covers up his real   matter by   buriya- symbol of poverty.    

 Talyshes   use basses  for  making   different  things of everyday life, e.g.   big and small  baskets -“zanbul”(Tal.), closed baskets,  scales   (“terezi”-Azerb, “tavzi”,Tal.),   hats with   wide  brims for working  under sun-(“lik papag”-Azerb., “piknakolo”-Tal.),  table-mats or stands for saucepan (“gazanalti”-Azerb., “sife”-Tal),   mat for  handmill (“kirkire”- Azerb., “dasor”-Tal.),  square  table-cloth for  newly baked bread  (“sufre” –Azerb., “sife”-Tal.)  and many other things. 

 The “hesir”   is also very interesting   kind  of  hand-made    article of daily use.  Hesir  can be    simple and  figure. Both simple and  figure  hesirs look similar at first look,   but   craftsmen  created   very interesting hesirs,   they differed from each other both by their  compositions and design. Homogeneity of material didn’t  prevent  creating quite different patterns.   In works of different masters, living in  separate   villages   one can  see very interesting and  quite   different versions  of  hesir compositions. It  demonstrates   creative approach  of weavers to  hesir making.   

At the beginning of XX century and later- in soviet period  the Talysh region   was known for felt, silk fabrics,  for production of national clothes and shoes, silk and gold embroidery. In Talysh region   the production of glazed ceramics, the production of  toreutic, engraved copper utensils, jewelry, wood and stone carving and many other   crafts were very popular. The samples of decorative-applied arts of   Talysh people  in this region,  namely the articles,  dating back to the  II half of the  XVIII and   I half of the  XIX centuries, adorn the collections of many museums   all over the world. 

Since the middle of the  XIX century, among the Talyshes   the art of   embroidery  by tambour  stitch (“tekelduz”) and golden embroidery (“gulabatin”) had particularly flourished. It should be noted, that   in differ from carpet-making, the embroidery  craft  (alike   in the North Caucasus and Central Asia) was the prerogative of the male population of the region. The clothes, skullcaps, shoes, rugs and all kinds of small household items- e.g. cases for the Koran,  for combs and   watches, tobacco pouches, etc. were decorated with gold embroidery.  For gold embroidery    as a rule   smooth velvet of  burgundy, purple and green  color  was used as main material. Sometimes embroideries were made on satin or   other  fabrics  with factory-made gold threads. In the decor   widespread  traditional   symbols were used  and  they were combined  with local   peculiarities. Outdoor   clothes  were  also decorated with embroidery, fur, golden lace, gold and silver jewelry or silver coins. The  golden and silver beads, buttons,  stylized as large grains of barley,  threading  coins,   lace pendants, chains, etc.  were especially popular  in this region. European and Russian travelers repeatedly mentioned the beautiful clothes of Talysh women in their descriptions of this region. (11, 57)   

Talysh jewelleries    were   distinguished  by their   diversity  and were  made mainly of gold.   As for everyday belts or buckles for leather belts, and other  things of such kind, they  were made mainly  from silver. Golden  products had always been in great demand, and therefore  the jewelry workshops made up whole rows of famous bazaars. The jewelers decorated   weapons and armor   too. In general, the daggers were an obligatory attribute of a man's suit.     

The production of highly artistic chased (casting is less common) copper and brass utensils is sharply reduced by the middle of the  XIX century. This process  took     place most likely due to increased competition  with    imported Russian-made industrial goods and the historically inevitable change in the lifestyle of the population. The survived samples of copper (tin-plated) dishes of the late   XVIII -early  XIX centuries   impress  with the elegance of form, the  refinement  of the decorative finishing. Sometimes, epigraphy, containing quotations from the Koran, the most popular prayers, verses of Persian poets, well-wishing maxims were  used as decoration.   In particular cases,   in the carpet the name of the  carpet-weaver and the date of manufacture,  less often - the name of the customer was  fixed.   

It should be noted that such utensils have entered the everyday life of the peoples of the region under consideration  both as a substitute for expensive silver utensils  and  as its more democratic alternative. At the same time, it should be noted that the availability and cheapness of these products  was achieved   by replacing expensive metals with cheaper metal alloys, but by no means by reducing aesthetic indicators. Talysh craftsmen sometimes repeated in metal the forms and decor of expensive Oriental, European and Russian dishes made of porcelain, faience and ceramics,   being in circulation in the market. Among them are buckets, “satil” dishes, ritual jugs with basins and jugs for transferring and storing water ( “gyum”, “syakhang”), a vessel for rose oil (“gulabdan”), and other  vessels should be noted particularly. 

 The production of daggers was stimulated due to their demand both for their  direct    appointment  and as a necessary addition to the men’s  clothes. In the Museum of the History of the Republic of Azerbaijan   a rich collection of  arms    is kept. Among  them  the products of Talysh  craftsmen -   swords  and  daggers with expensive blades and highly artistic scabbards, guns and pistols inlaid with gold and mother-of-pearl are of particular interest. Among collectors    the  weapons   of the Qajar period of the early  XIX century, made by craftsmen of different ethnic groups of the Caspian region, including Talyshes    are especially highly valued.   (11, 73)

The representatives   of all estates turned to   craftsmen  of artistic woodworking,  because  the vast majority of a wide range of household items, (such    as small boxes  for storing   of Koran, carved spoons for pouring sherbet, the  combs, window shutters, shebeke, carved doors, etc.)  was  accessible for most part of inhabitant.  The    proficients,  who    produced    musical instruments and   trunks,   formed a separate large group  of craftsmen. The high artistic level of the Talysh wood  carvers  is confirmed   by samples of this type of Talysh applied art,   kept   both  in museums and private collections.   

The beginning   of systematic and programmatic   accumulation and study  of materials on the ethnography and culture of the Talysh  ethnos,   and the initial information about the applied art of the Talysh is  connected   with the activity of archaeological   excavations and ethnographic   investigations, carried out in the late   XIX - early  XX centuries undertaken by the tsarist government in order to collect information about the composition of the  inhabitant   in Southern territories of   the Russian   state. (7, 49)  Later,    namely in soviet period  those studies were  continued. 

 As its seen, the objective  necessity   for further study and systematization of all components of the Talysh cultural space is quite  evident  and   the researches in this  sphere should be continued and developed.

                                           SUMMARY

In the   article  the Talysh national culture, peculiarities of its   decorative-applied art is spoken about.   The  author dwells on some serious issues, connected with history of Talysh people and  peculiarities of  Talysh   language, on the  history of study of Talysh  culture and decorative-applied art.   Its  pointed out, that  decorative- applied art of Talysh people is very rich and  original,  quite inimitative.  The author   enumerates  the world museums, in which   the samples  of Talysh decorative-applied art  are exhibited.  The author also pointed out the spheres of handicrafts, in which  Talysh craftsmen stood out. So, Talysh craftsmen were brilliant proficient  in carpet-weaving (including  pile and pileless carpets, hesirs and buriya), in decorating of  swords and  daggers, in embroidery, wood-carving, stone-carving and many others. Besides,  the Talysh traditions in other spheres of art  are   mentioned also.  E.g. the everyday dishes,  articles, made from clay,  various   items and utensils of everyday   and ritual purpose,  artistic ceramics  are mentioned  in the article also. The author  points   out that all items, made by Talysh    craftsmen   were always in great demand, but large-scale producing of such   things didn’t mean  the  degradation of their  quali usety.   Talyshes   were jewelleries of highest level and they created very   interesting products,  real masterpieces. Its not occasional, that  samples of Talysh decorative-applied art are considered as  very interesting cultural phenomenon.  So, the materials, got while archeological excavations,  their comparison  with modern   products, prove that  rich  traditions of Talysh decorative-applied art are saved, are continued  nowadays and enriched by new achievements. 

                                        РЕЗЮМЕ

В статье  говорится об  истории талышского  народа, особенностях языка,  характерных особенностях талышского декоративно-прикладного  искусства.   Талышские   мастера, ремесленники во все времена славились своим искусством, это подтверждается многочисленными   интересными находками, обнаруженными   в результате археологических   раскопок. Мастера –талыши проявляли свое искусство в самых   разных сферах декоративно-прикладного искусства- в ковроткачестве, вышивке, ювелирном искусстве,  декорировании одежды,  украшении   оружия, художественной керамике , производстве  посуды,   и  самых различных   предметов быта.   В статье также подчеркивается, что даже    повседневная утварь, созданная талышскими  мастерами, отличалась  высоким художественным   уровнем и отражала особенности быта талышского народа.  В связи с ковроткачеством в статье приводятся виды ворсовых и безворсовых ковров,  которые   талышские  мастера ткали веками, а также упоминаются другие изделия- циновки, хесиры, бурия, раскрываются  особенности    их изготовления, их утилитарное назначение.  В статье автор особенно подробно останавливается на  других  видах декоративно-прикладного искусства, таких как  резьба по камню, резьба по дереву,  ювелирное искусство.  В статье подчеркивается, что  талышские мастера с большим умением сочетали в производимых предметах   художественные   достоинства с   удобством их бытового   использования. Талышские мастера  во все времена  славились   своими изделиями из золота и драгоценных камней и ювелирное искусство талышей,  созданные ими украшения-кольца, серьги, подвески, браслеты- всегда ценились очень высоко.  Кроме того, талышские мастера прославились своим умением украшать  оружие, что также считалось высоким искусством. В целом, талышские мастера создали множество интереснейших  образцов декоративно-прикладного искусства и созданные ими  различные предметы-  ковры, оружие,  ювелирные украшения- хранятся  в настоящее время во многих знаменитых музеях мира.  В настоящее время талышский   продолжает свои  национальные культурные традиции, обогащает их.

                          LIST OF LITERATURE

1. Миллер Б.В. Предварительный отчёт о поездке в Талыш летом 1925 г. (доклад, читанный на заседании Истор. - Этнограф. Секции О-ва 14/1Х 1925 г.). - Издание Общества обследования и изучения Азербайджана. — Баку, 1926. 

2. Бартольд В. В.  Сочинения. - М., Наука, т. 7, 1971. 

3. Дьяконов И.М. История Мидии: от древнейших времен до конца IV века до н.э. — М.: Изд-во Академии наук СССР, 1956.  448, см. прим.

4. Талышинцы // Энциклопедический словарь Брокгауза и Ефрона: В 86 томах (82 т. и 4 доп.). — СПб., 1890-1907.

5. "Алфавитный список народов, обитающих в Российской Империи". «Демоскоп». Архивировано из первоисточника 25 августа, 2011.

6. Демографический энциклопедический словарь. — М.: Советская энциклопедия, 1985.  

7. Зейдлиц Н.К. Этнографический очерк Бакинской губернии // Кавказский календарь на 1871 г. Отделение Второе. — Тифлис, 1870.  

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9. Волкова Н.Г. Этнонимия в трудах экономического обследования Кавказа 1880-х годов // Имя и этнос: общие вопросы ономастики, этнонимия, антропонимия, теонимия, топонимия: сборник. — М.: Ин-т этнологии и антропологии, 1996. — ISBN 5-201-00825-9 

10. Миллер Б.В. Предварительный отчёт о поездке в Талыш летом 1925 г. (доклад, читанный на заседании Истор.-Этнограф. Секции О-ва 14/1Х 1925 г.). — Издание Общества обследования и изучения Азербайджана. — Баку, 1926. 

11. Севрюгин Антон Васильевич. Талышинцы. Талыши. Сайт проекта «Фотоколлекция Кунсткамеры». Руководитель проекта — директор Музея Антропологии и этнографии им. Петра Великого РАН, д.и.н. Ю.К.Чистов

12. Бартольд В.В. Сочинения. — Наука,   т. 3. 1965.  

13.   Измайлова А.А. Социалистические преобразования хозяйства, культуры и быта талышей. Автореферат диссертации на соискание учёной степени кандидата исторических наук. — М.: Изд-во Академии Наук СССР, Институт этнографии им. Н.Н.Миклухо–Маклая, 1964. 

14.  Миллер Б.В. Талышский язык. — Изд-во Академии наук СССР, 1953.  

15. Измайлова А.А. Талыши (Этнокультурные процессы). bakılılar.az. Архивировано из первоисточника 20 февраля 2012. 

16.Волкова Н.Г. Этнические процессы в Закавказье в XIX-XX вв. // Кавказский этнографический сборник.  М.: Изд-во АН СССР, 1969.  Т. 4. 

17. Токарев С.А. Этнография народов СССР: исторические основы быта и культуры. — Изд-во Московского университета, 1958. 

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 On Some Peculiarities of Talysh Decorative-Applied Art (marszalek.com.pl)