Ganja Rugs the O'Connell Guide

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Both Armenian Rugs and Azeri Rugs have come from Ganja Province. Ganja was a Persian Azeri city under the Persian Shah's control before the Russian occupation. There as a minority but significant Armenian population controlled by the Melik of Ganja. When the Russian Czarist troop solidified control over the city it was renamed Elisavetspol and it quickly became a Russianized city. Since the Armenian Church and Meliks were Christian and were instrumental in defeating the Persians the Armenians gained immensely in stature. Armenians began to move to Ganja from Safavid Persia and Ottoman Turkey. Ganja became a staging area for the war that led to the Russian triumph over the Persians in Erevan/Yerevan/Present Day Armenia in 1828. Today there are few Armenians in the Province of Ganja.

Ganja (Gyandzha)

Gyandzha, Azerbaijan also spelled Gendge, Gäncä, GÄNJÄ, GANDZHA, GJANDZA, OR GYANDZHA
Situated on the main highway and rail line to Georgia. The city, considered the country's literary center, is prettier than most Azerbaijani towns and retains a strong German influence in its architecture. The road from Baku to Ganja is one of the country's most scenic. 180 mi/290 km west of Baku. http://www.usembassybaku.org/post/city.htm
Ganja was both a city, a market center, and a Khanate. Under Czarist domination the name was changed to Elisavetpol and then Kirovabad.
Gendge produces rug that are in format and construction like a long Kazak.
Gendge Long Rug With Diagonal Stripes
GYANDZHA. The Columbia Encyclopedia: Sixth Edition. 2000
Kirovabad Live Cams
Kirovabad Weather
Gäncä is a source of alunite. Alunite is also known as alumstone and is a source of the chemical known as alum, KAl(SO4)2 - 12H2O. Alum with tin is the source of the clear super-saturated reds we see in Caucasian rugs. There are deposits of Tin that have been mined in Armenia since pre-historic times.
A humorous side note to the rug trade many Gendge are called Kazak or Shirvan, etc... because dealers feel Gendge's sell for less under their own name.

V999UKN51p.jpg (41235 bytes) Chajli Long Rug

A few related examples:

The James C. Allen Gendge Long Rug
Azeri
Chajli
- Chajli is a multiple latch hooked medallion Gendge rug that is one of the most sought after Caucasian Rugs and commands top dollar at auction. Three medallion is the most popular and they are usually red field and less commonly are blue ground or even white.
- Chajli Long Rug
- The Oliveira Chajli Rug
- Sotheby's Chajli Long Rug lot 24
Genje Rug Late 19th century
A Gendge rug, 2nd half 19th c **
Striped Gendge with unusual border
Diagonal boteh surmey ground Gendge long rug
A four medallion Gendge rug ca. 1880**
3 panel Gendje Rug 2nd half 19th c.
Star Lattice Gendje
Gendje Runner 2nd half 19th century

Zakatala

Guide to Zakatala rugs

Latchhook medallion Gendge rug Azeri Border

Note the main border above. Ian Bennett referres to it as cojoined octagons and describes it as it as characteristic of Gendge rugs. Bennett, Ian et al. Oriental Rugs Volume 1 Caucasian. page 132. I did discuss a related motif in Persian Varamin Area Shahsavan Ru-korsi.

A four medallion Gendge rug ca. 1880

The James C. Allen Azeri Gendge Rug

Gendge rugs and Kazak rugs are closely related. One important attribution is the wefts.First of all Gendge and Kazak rugs commonly have red wefts. They also have variation in the number of shots of wefts. Here we can see places where they used two shots and others where they used 4. Most Caucasian rugs have two shots of tan white or brown wefts. When you see red, more than two or variation in the number thing Gendge and Kazak rugs.Also this has the classical flat back we expect in Gendge rugs.

Sale 2192 Lot 125

Chajli Rug, South Caucasus, last quarter 19th century, three large octagonal medallions flanked by six hooked diamonds in navy blue, wine red, ivory, gold, and blue-green on the royal blue field, wine red octagon border, (small areas of wear), 8 ft. 6 in. by 4 ft. 5 in.
Estimate $2,000-3,000