A piece of fabric

The silk fabric fragment is knitted serge, thread density of 1 cm2 of the fabric is 23x23, and the twines are twisted at medium level in the shape of Z. The human figures and inscriptions in the Arabic alphabet on the white-colored background are in early Islamic style. The calligraphic drawing inside the black rhombic medallion on the white background reminds us of the word “Allah” (الله), and written form of this word was provided both on the given and reverse side with the effect of a mirror reflection. This style is also seen in the words written in the red rhombic khoncha (tray filled with different sweets and fruits). The same word written in Naskhi (script) type is given by creating the effect of a mirror reflection of the word “qabal” (قبال) in Arabic, which means “equal”. It should be noted that the word “qabal” also reminds us of the word “iqbal” (fate) ("اقبال") because they derive from the same root.
Calligraphic drawings inside the zigzag stripe have a more complex writing style. Since those words do not have dots and are in somewhat inaccurate form, they can be read in different ways: “mul” (مل - wine), “nou” (نو - new) and “tulip” (لاله). Expressions also associate with the verse “Qul huval-lah” (قل هو الله - Say that He is Allah). On the one hand, it was believed that the one using this piece of fabric would be protected by this verse, in other word the fabric was given a status of phylactery.
Double-stylized human faces and trees are rhythmically replicated on the same stripe in every two row. A praying couple was portraid inside a red quadrangle medallion. Stylized human drawings, Arabic inscriptions, and especially the word “Allah” prove that this piece of fabric belongs to the Islamic world or was made for Muslims by special orders. A similar example of the fabric in terms of the composition and color can also be seen in a miniature described in Fazlullah Rashidaddin`s “Jāmiʿ al-Tawārīkh” (“Compendium of Chronicles”) (h. 605\m. 1335).
In that drawing Mahammad PBUH puts the al-Ḥajaru al-Aswad (“Black Stone”) on the the Kiswa (the black cloth covering the Kaaba). A part of the semi-circle brown wristband with the width of 0,5 cm shows that it is likely to be a part of the shirt.
Thus, 7 fabric pieces found in the medieval city Kharaba-Gilan in Nakhchivan in the 1980s are from the XII-XIII centuries. Those fabric pieces once again confirm that the art of weaving developed extensively in Azerbaijan in the mentioned period.