Stars of the Caucasus: Silk Embroideries From Azerbaijan

Published on the occasion of an important international loan exhibition at The Azerbaijan Carpet Museum in Baku, this multi-author book is much more than a mere catalogue. Written by a team of international museum professionals and independent scholars, it is the first co-ordinated and detailed study of the West Caspian region's characteristic silk embroideries. The book traces the history of embroidery in the Caucasus, the multi-cultural sources of domestic embroidery iconography and designs in which the textile traditions of the Iranian and Turkic worlds meet, materials and needlework techniques, as well as the relationship between embroidery and the pile carpet weaving tradition in the region.

Michael Franses and Penny Oakley are both independent textile scholars and dealers. Murray L Eiland III is an archaeologist and textile researcher. Jennifer Wearden, Moya Carey, Sumru Krody, Irina Koshoridze and Nino Kuprava are all former or current museum curators in London (V&A), Washington DC (The Textile Museum) and Tbilisi.