SOUMAKH

Among the many flat woven, or kilims, made in the Caucasus, the soumakhs are certainly the most famous and this name is used to indicate all the kilims the made with "wrapped weft" technique. The earliest examples date from the early 19th century and have been made in Azerbaijan with a certain continuity. The distinctive feature of these textiles is the method, known as "wrapped weft" that consists of wrapping added weft threads around the warp to create the patterns. In some ways the Soumakhs can be considered the meeting point between the kilim and the rug because, even though they are flat, they are often decorated with motifs typical of Caucasian rugs like the Akstafas or Fachralus. They are often very big and are dominated by warm colours - red and blue.