Karabakh (also spelled Karabagh) is a historical region in the western Caucasus, today divided between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The area was a major center of rug production from the 17th century through the early 20th century and produced one of the most stylistically varied bodies of Caucasian weaving.
What sets Karabakh rugs apart:
- Strongest Persian influence of any Caucasian category — many Karabakh designs feature large central medallions with curved floral elements, showing the influence of Persian Tabriz and Hamadan weaving
- Wide range of design types — from purely tribal geometric to formal medallion-and-corner layouts to floral pictorial rugs
- Larger average size than most Caucasian categories — Karabakh rugs include long runners and full room-sized carpets, where most Caucasian production is smaller
- Rich color palette including unusual pinks, lavenders, and softer secondary colors alongside the standard Caucasian primaries
- All-wool construction, symmetric knot
Notable Karabakh styles include:
- Dragon Carpets — large 17th–18th-century carpets featuring stylized dragon motifs; among the most important early Caucasian weavings, now primarily in museum collections
- Eagle Karabakh — large rugs with bird/eagle motifs
- Cloudband Karabakh — repeating Chinese-influenced cloudband patterns
- Floral medallion Karabakh — formal Persian-influenced designs
- Chelaberd — sunburst medallions (often classified with Kazak, but historically Karabakh)
- Chondzoresk — cloudband designs
Karabakh's geographic position between Persia and the Caucasus shows in the weavings — many pieces are essentially Caucasian in technique and color but Persian in overall design layout. This bridging character makes Karabakh one of the more visually accessible Caucasian categories for buyers coming from a Persian rug background.