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.
Robert H. Nooter is an economic development specialist for the Agency for International Development and the World Bank. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Textile Museum and a Board member of the National Museum of Aftican Art, both in Washington, D. C. He has made many visits to the Caucasian countries and assembled an extensive collection of flat-woven textiles from that area. He and his wife live in the Wasington, D. C. area.
