The history of carpet weaving in Azerbaijan dates back to long before current era. This statement is evidenced by the archaeological discoveries of tools and traces of dyes which had been used to produce carpets back in IV-III centuries B.C., as well as by the information provided by antique authors, including Xenophon who had mentioned carpets produced by the Median masters. However, separation of carpet weaving into an independent economic production sector of Azerbaijan took place only in the early medieval period. Albanian historian Movses Kaghankatvatsi reported that rooms of the Javanshir’s palace used to be decorated with rich silk fabrics and colourful carpets. This mention, as well as remains of looms, carpets and rugs discovered from Mingechevir catacombs, are the indicatives of a role which carpet weaving had played in the everyday life of the early Medieval Azerbaijan. Travelers and diplomats who had visited the country had left interesting information about local carpets and carpet products, all distinguished by developed production techniques, rich appearance and artistic design. Those travellers wrote that at that time carpet weaving used to be quite popular in many Azerbaijani towns and regions, including Barda, Tabriz, Ganja, Nakhchivan, Ardabil, Shirvan and Garabagh. The development of carpet weaving in Azerbaijan was due to the high level of cattle breeding and richness of raw materials. Threads for the carpets used to be made from sheep or camel wool, and natural dyes from a madder were used for thread colouring. Benefiting from the ancient carpet weaving traditions, Azerbaijani masters produced unique artistic carpets distinguished by an exceptional diversity of motifs and richness of patterns. Many ancient Azerbaijani carpets are among valuable showpieces of the world’s museum and private collections. Be it the famous XVIcentury Tabriz carpet displayed at the Albert and Victoria Museum in London, or Shirvan (XIII-XIV centuries) and Gazakh (XV century) carpets preserved at the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Works in Istanbul and in the Oriental section of the Berlin Art Museum, all these arts masterpieces arise great interest among the audience. In the second half of XIX century, the most developed carpet-weaving centers of the South Caucasus region were located in Guba, Baku, Shamakhi, Goychay, Gazakh, Shusha, Zangazur, Jabrayil, Yelizavetpol and Zagatala provinces of Azerbaijan. After Azerbaijan regained its’ independence, the state has undertaken complex efforts to revive, protect and promote the national carpet weaving traditions. Already in 2010, these efforts resulted in the inclusion of traditional Azerbaijani art of carpet weaving into the UNESCO’s «Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity». Distinguished for high decorative value and technical quality, carpet weaving traditions of Azerbaijan are conventionally divided into the schools of Guba, Shirvan, Baku, Gazakh, Karabakh, Ganja and Tabriz, identified based on geographical location, composition of patterns, colour solution and technical features. In the Ethnographic Fund of the National History Museum of Azerbaijan, there are 720 carpets and carpet products belonging to all of the cited schools. Woven in Khizi in XIX century, “Archiman” carpet is the Shirvan school’s masterpiece distinguished for its’ subject and ornaments. Being unique and not repeated in the other carpets, the subject of this carpet is entirely dedicated to the family traditions and mythology of the people of Azerbaijan. According to experts, broken lines of the theme depicts Humayun, an ancient Turk goddess of goodness, who gave divine power to people. First of all, it can be seen in the touch of an infant-like image placed at the bottom of eternity sign between the both pictures. Another point is that the Humayun’s image is surrounded with halo, as in the butas woven on the carpet’s edges, which is quite rare for the traditional carpets. The center of the carpet is fringed by an «oath stamp», which symbolizes unity, family ties and brotherhood in the ancient Turkic symbolism. Weaving of a stamp on the carpet’s surface isn’t accidental. Apparently, it was connected with a particular solemn promise. Among decorations of the carpet, there are also tree-shaped pictures encircled in Assyrian cylinder seals. The XIX century carpet has dimensions of 154x157 cm, and compactness of 29x36 cm. Weaving method: turkbaf (symmetrical).