How to experience the best of Azerbaijan’s historic craft culture

The ancient Silk Road, the route upon which precious goods were traded between China and Western Europe, could not have existed without Azerbaijan. Countless trade boats crossing between Europe and Central Asia would stop in the Bay of Baku, the calmest port on the Caspian Sea, to rest and collect new cargo before continuing their journey east or west. For centuries, Azerbaijanis have imported Asian and European materials and sent their own crafts across the world. Even to this day, the country is a treasure trove of materials. Here are some of the best ways to experience its thriving craft culture.

Copperware in Lahij

A three-hour drive west of Baku, Lahij is a picture-perfect village with ancient, cobbled streets and stone houses. It’s also home to some of Azerbaijan’s oldest crafts heritage. Many different crafts have been practiced here through the ages; some — like carpet weaving, hat making, leather production and blacksmithing — for over 2,000 years. But the village is best known for its copperware masters, who have been famed in Azerbaijan, and the region in general, for generations. Some of the world’s leading museums have copper pots from Lahij in their collections, with the village's copper craftsmanship claiming UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status.

Silk headscarves in Basgal

The beautifully-preserved ancient village of Basgal, also about three hours from Baku, is the home of Azerbaijani kelaghayi (which has UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status). Kelaghayis are exquisite silk headscarves that Azerbaijani women often wear. They’re made with a traditional batik technique, which involves using dye and hot wax to create a pattern on the silk.

Every household in Basgal practiced silk weaving, until it went out of fashion in the 20th century. Since the Basgal Kelaghayi and Silk Center was opened here in the 2000s, Azerbaijani designers have brought the headscarf back to life with more contemporary concepts and designs; all without forgetting the cultural value of preserving traditional patterns and compositions. The workshop also allows visitors to make a pure silk kelaghayi themselves. 

Musical instruments in Sheki

The northern town of Sheki, one of the most beautiful places in Azerbaijan, used to be a busy post on the Silk Road. And today, on an old street named after the local writer Mirza Fatali Akhundzade, you could spend an entire day browsing little boutiques and talking with local craftspeople. There are dozens of different kinds of Azerbaijani crafts to buy, from stunning clothes and cushions — decorated with an embroidery technique called takalduz — to beautiful pottery, stained glass latticework known as shebeke and kelaghayi headscarves made of the finest silk.

But what really sets Sheki apart is the musical instruments made here, particularly the traditional Azerbaijani kamancha and tar, string instruments crafted from walnut and mulberry wood. If you enjoy the music that they make, it’s possible to take a tar home for yourself.

Woollen socks in Khinalig

The mountain village of Khinalig in the far north of the country mesmerises visitors with its jaw-dropping views of the Greater Caucasus mountains. People in this area of the country have a language and culture that’s different to anywhere else in Azerbaijan, and part of their culture is weaving beautiful creations from the wool that’s shed by their livestock. Residents of Khinalig make carpets, bags and bed covers from wool but are best known for weaving brightly coloured and extremely warm socks.

These socks used to be given to the village’s shepherds, to keep their feet warm as they herded their sheep between the mountain pastures. In recent years, however, it's also been possible for visitors to buy these brilliant socks from the Khinalig locals.

Carpets in Baku

Baku’s Carpet Museum is one of the city’s architectural masterpieces. The building itself is shaped like a rolled-up Azerbaijani carpet, making it the most surreal sight on the Seaside Boulevard. So important is carpet weaving to Azerbaijan’s culture that UNESCO lists it as part of the country’s rich cultural heritage. In some Azerbaijani regions, carpet weaving is still a family tradition, passed on through the generations.

The Carpet Museum is home to over 6,000 Azerbaijani carpets — the largest such collection in the world. Some of the carpets on display are over 300 years old. As you walk through the museum, guides explain the meanings behind the carpets’ patterns. The designs reflect Azerbaijani culture, nature and faith.