This book fills a void in Western texts by presenting the largest
selection of Caucasian flat-woven carpets and textiles ever included
in a single book. They originate in the region south of the Caucasus
Mountains and west of the Caspian Sea, bounded by Russian, Turkey, and
Iran, and comprising parts of Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The
book, with 436 beautiful color photographs, includes an extensive
selection of old kilims, zilis, khorjins, and one of the most
extensive collections of Caucasian mafrash bedding bags ever
assembled. They date generally from the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Weaving styles of the nomadic, indigenous peoples produce the rich
mixture of geometric and figurative forms recognized as uniquely
Caucasian. A fascinating description of the author's field visits to
villages in the Caucasus accompanies illustrations of the textiles and
peoples found there. The origins of these pieces are discussed through
comparisons with artifacts in the Russian Ethnographic Museum in St.
Petersburg. A unique feature is weaving examples by two Georgian
ethnic sub-groups, the Tushetians and the Khevsuretis. The result is
invaluable information regarding the weaving origins of Caucasian
flat-woven textiles for collectors and curators, and richly colored
pictorials that will inspire designers and artists.