Kelaghayi

Traditional art and symbolism of Kelaghayi, making and wearing women’s silk headscarves
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
Azerbaijani girl wearing kalaghai
Country	Azerbaijan
Reference	669
Region	Europe and North America
Inscription history
Inscription	2014 (9th session)

A kelaghayi (Azerbaijani: Kəlağayı) is a traditional Azerbaijani women's headgear. In November 2014 at the 9th session of UNESCO's traditional art and symbolism of Kelaghayi, its production and the wearing were included in the list of intangible cultural heritage UNESCO.

A kalaghai is one of the spread types of headdress. Kalaghayi, in Azerbaijan, is a square-shaped silk scarf with special prints on it that is considered a national dress, protecting from the hot sun and cold wind. Silk is considered to be cool in the summer and warm in winter. Until the 90s these special scarves were popular at weddings and engagemnets. It is essentially a silk headscarf. There were age and social differences in its wearing: older women wore kalaghais of darker colours, mostly black and dark blue, whereas younger women opted for brighter ones, such as white, beige, bright blue, etc. A kalaghai was tied in various ways, depending on the region.

Kelaghayis of colorful tints were the most popular. In some places, a kelaghayi was tied over a triangular headscarf after collecting hair with a piece of gauze. As a result, there would be three headdresses worn simultaneously: first, the juna (gauze), then the kelaghayi and finally a triangular headscarf called kasaba, sarandaz, or zarbab.

In cold weather women covered their heads also with a shawl (tirma-shawl, Kashmir shawl, or shawls knitted of natural wool).

Kelaghayi is a four-cornered shawl woven from floss thread and worn by the Azerbaijani woven. It is also called “chargat” in the western regions of the country. Besides being a symbol of chastity, respect and devotion, it also preserves the ancient history, culture and traditions of Land of Fires – Azerbaijan.

Kelaghayi has been made in Azerbaijan since ancient times. High quality kelaghayis were made in Tebriz, Ganja, Shamakhi, Sheki and Nakhchivan cities. Although this shawl was made in many regions, kelaghayi were widely used in Basgal settlement of Ismayilly region.

The reason for weaving kelaghayi in these regions undoubtedly was Sheki silk.

Silkworm breeding in Azerbaijan dates to the periods prior to Christianity. Sheki has been the centre of silkworm breeding in Azerbaijan and also in the Caucasus for many years. In the 20th century, the largest silkworm breeding plant was established in Sheki. During the reign of Nikolay II, Sheki silk was used in making new five hundred notes in Russian empire. In the year 1862, Sheki silk was awarded medal at the international exhibition launched in London. Sent-Etyen Company of Lion city, France was one of the permanent purchaser of Sheki silk. That is why for its successes achieved in the field of silkworm breeding Sheki was called “Caucasian Lion.” The clothes, fine needle-works and shawls made of Sheki silk were highly appreciated. For this reason the local population engaged in kelaghayi production produced silk in Sheki and created kelaghayi in Basgal. Therefore, despite a certain distance between two regions, they connected with each other by “floss ties.”