Editor P.A. Azizbekova, Member of the Academy of Sciences of the Azerbaijan Republic

Azerbaijan national cos­tume is the result of the long and complicated pro­cesses involved in the deve­lopment   Oi   the   nations

material and intellectual culture. The history of a nation has a most direct bearing on the national costume. It reflects, more than any other element of material culture, the speci­fic features of a nation and belongs to the more stable ethnic characteristics.

National costume ab­sorbs the ethnic, aesthetic and artistic features of a nation’s creativity which finds expression in the forms of garments, in the embroidery decoration, in the art of weaving and the manner of knitting.

The purpose of the pre­sent publication is to ac­quaint a wide range of rea­ders interested in the sub­ject with some specimens of Azerbaijan national cos­tume.

The catalogue “Azerbai­jan National Costume” is compiled on the basis of a vast collection of the natio­nal costume in the ethno­graphic section of the Mu­seum of Azerbaijan Histo­ry under the Academy of Sciences of the Azerbaijan SSR. Entered in the pre­sent catalogue are sets and individual elements of mans and lady’s costume. The publication also con­tains illustrations oi parti cular garments and their decora live el e m e n t s.

In the 17th century Azer-baijan was .1 major silk producer in the Near East. Its mam set leultui al region was Shirvan anil the lamest

silk manufacturing centres

were Shemakha. Baskal. ( vyandzha, Sheki anil Shu-sha. They produced won­derfully line silk fabrics with an exquisitel) attracti­ve design, ladies” head ker­chiefs and other commodi­ties.

The costume style was appropriate to the family status and age of the wea­rer. The costume of a mai­den differed noticeabk from that of a married wo­man. Young women wore particularly gay and attrac­tive garments.

The man’s as well as wo­man’s costume was basical­ly the same in all the histo­rical ethnographic zones of Azerbaijan. At the same ti­me the man’s costume bore the imprint of the wearer’s social status.

Children’s costume was similar to that of adults’ in its silhouette while diffe­ring from the latter in size and certain age-related pe­culiarities.

The Azerbaijan woman’s costume ol the l(‘th ear­ly 20th centuries consisted of undergarments and outer garments. both shoulder and waist-worn.

The shoulder-worn outer garments were mainly usi keyneyi, chepken, arkhalyg and klwz eslunyak.

The usi keyneyi, a simply cut outer robe, had no shoulder seams and was provided with multicolou­red gussets. It was usually made of silk (taffeta or fail­le).

The chepken. also a shoulder-worn outer gar­ment, had a lining and would-be sleeves. C//</>-kens were made of tinna, velvet or brocade of va-

nous kinds.

The urkhtilyg, another shoulder-worn outer gar­ment, was widespread in Azerbaijan. Arkhaiygs we­re made of tirma, brocade Ol various kinds 01 velvet.

The labbaita, a short-cut shoulder-worn garment, was made of tirma. velvet or brocade and had a quil­ted lining.

The kytilyaja, a shoul­der-worn garment with a li­ning, was made of tirma or velvet.

The bakhari, a shoulder-worn garment with a quil­led lining, was mostly ma­de of velvet.

The kyurilyu. or quilted waistcoat, was made of tir­ma or velvet, decorated with far and embroidered in satin stitch.

The eshmyak, a quilted outer garment, was made of tirma or velvet. The col­lar, skirt and sleeves were trimmed with ferret fur. The inside was lined with ferret fur as well. The gar­ment was decorated with gold lace and all kinds of tape.

The waist-worn outer garments comprised a number of tumans (skirts). ckilibahgs (double skirts) and chakhchun (outer wi­de trousers).

Townswomen put on chakhchurs over their skirts when going out.

The catalogue features various kinds of headgear.

The yashmak was mainK worn D) townswomen and those living in suburban villages.

The mans national cos­tume comprised usl keyneyi (shirt), arkhalyi*. gaba and thukha      (shoulder-worn garments) ami wide trou­sers (waist-worn garment).

Arkhaiygs, both single-and double-breasted, were made of silk, cashmere, sa­tin, broadcloth, sateen or other fabrics.

The gaba, a shoulder-worn outer garment, was usuallv made of tirma.

The chukha. a shoulder-worn outer garment, was usually cut in the waist and pleated or gathered. C’hak-ha.s were made of broad­cloth, tirma or homespun cloth.

The kyurk, a sheepskin overcoat, the fur inside, with a collar and without a fastening, decorated with embroidery.

The national costume was complemented with headgear and footwear of all kinds.

Pieces of jewellery, ma­de lor the most part In lo­cal craftsmen, enhanced the beaut) of the national costume.

There are all kinds of lady’s jewellery. They can be divided. In manner ot wearing, into head, neck-and-pectoral. wrist-and-fin-ger and bell ornaments.

The catalogue presents national garments of all the historical ethnographic /ones of Azerbaijan, in-eluding Baku. Karabakh. (iyandzha-Kazakh, She­makha. Naklnche\ an and Sheki.

The specimens featured in the present catalogue date back to the I’Jth -early 20th centuries, with the exception of an aiklm-lvi> made in the ISth cen­tury, it belonged to a wo­man of a well-off famih. Made of velvet it is decorat­ed with, gold and multico­loured satin-stitch embro­idery.

We hope the catalogue will give you an idea of the di\ersit\. beauts and ele­gance of Azerbaijan natio­nal costume.

Text h\ M. Jehrailova I’hotos In      Ilusein/ade