Burning Trees WAS SKILLFULLY HANDMADE BY The Rug Code IN ARMENIA
PART OF THE Barana COLLECTION.

Inspired by a late 19th century antique Armenian rug celebrating the natural world, this contemporary Armenian rug features burning Trees of Life, which according to Armenian and regional folk traditions keep the cosmos in order and symbolize fertility. Fire in Armenian culture is a purifying element, and the flames of these unburnt trees keep evil away, provide warmth, and protect the souls of those near it from evil. Designed by Paris-based Armenian visual artist and filmmaker Gohar Martirosyan and handmade to order in Armenia’s Noyemberyan region by members of the Noyemberyan House of Culture, this rug and its wider collection are completely undyed, meaning the colors seen are the natural hues of the local wool used to make them. Why no dyeing? It's a return to the region's local rug traditions, where the use of undyed wool was once a widespread practice in local production. With this contemporary rug and collection, we take one step closer to revitalizing a disappearing artform.