HISTORY

* The most famous trading centers of 18th-20th centuries were Van, Kareen, Yerevan, Alexandropol, Shushi, Tiflis, as well as Constantinople and other cities. Carpet art is the most loved and widespread phenomenon with stable fraditions in Armenian life from ancient times. Carpets have been woven as far back as before Christ's birth. The historian Herodotus (485 - 425 B. C.) informs us that "the inhabitants of the

Aghtamar (10th c.), an island monastery in Lake Van and former seat of the catholicos, where relics belonging to St. Gregory the Illuminator were maintained during the Middle Ages. The cathedral - once part of a royal palace complex - is rich in sculptured reliefs portraying religious theme and figures, including St. Gregory.

Caucasus dyed the wool with a number of plants having dyeing qualities and they used it to make woven fabrics covered with drawings which never lose their brilliant color... ". Marco Polo, the Italian traveller (XIII c.) commented: "The Armenians and Greeks in the three major towns of Konya (lkonio), Kaiseri (Kesaria) and Sivas (Sebastia) made the most beautiful and finest rugs". The Armenians of those three towns had been deported in the first half of the XI century from Vaspurakan, Ani, Kars.The Armenian rugs exported from Western Armenia (currently occupied by Turkey) were sold mainly in Europe and America where the products of Kareen, Baberd, Manazkert, Moosh, Sassoon, Van, Akhtamar, Norshen, Vostan, Artskeh, Berkri, Moks, Shatakh, Akni, and other towns were given high prices.

* Lace adorned the homes as well as the costumes of Armenian women. Women also donated their lacework for the adornment of churches, where it appeared on the altar and on the vestments of the clergy. Schools of embroidery and lace making developed in prominent cities such as the Van school, the Kareen school and the Cilician school.

* From the earliest times, Armenia has been one of the most important centres of metalworking in Asia Minor and the Transcaucasus. Four thousand years ago historic Armenia was a metalworking centre excelling in gold, silver, copper and iron. The metal objects obtained from the excavations at Lchashen, Armavir, Metzamor, Karmir Blur, Sisian, Dvin and Ani are witnesses of a high standard of metalworking. Vaspurakan, and specially Van - Cilicia, Sebastia, Kesaria, Kareen, Shirak, Sunik, Artsakh, and the Plain of Ararat were centres for the artistic treatment of metal and the production of ornaments and utensils.