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The Small Tekke Rug

August 6, 2010/in General /by a-bey

The function of small Tekke rugs employing main carpet gulls in traditional Turkmen society has never been elucidated nor written about to a significant degree. I think these rugs were used by high ranking males to sit on at opportune or auspicious times. I suspect the number of truly traditional Tekke small rugs with main carpet gulls parallels that of traditional Tekke main carpets. If this is so then there must be far more small Tekke rugs with chuval gulls since they were used by Tekke brides receiving guests before the wedding.

Mughal Designs in Yomud Weavings

August 6, 2010/in General /by a-bey

An enigmatic and obviously very old Yomud asmalyk, housed at The Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris, France; may have iconography derived from certain 17th century Mughal designs. The asmuldyk was last exhibited at the Cultural Center de Boulogne-Billancourt ( near Paris ) from January 26 to March 26, 1982. Afterwards a magazine reviewer wrote,” The piece is an extraordinary early Yomut asmalyk, unique in the zoomorphic quality of its plant motifs and with a large trefoil border.”

The Turkmen

August 6, 2010/in General /by a-bey

In my study of Turkmen ethno-history and in my travels to their ancient lands I’ve built up an image of an alien type or form of human being. No less strange to us today than something visiting us from another world. The Turkmen, or nomadic, way of life was very seductive to Chinese peasants who saw the nomads freedom as a wonderful alternative to their heavily taxed and mortgaged lives. The Chinese ran several different waves of these nomads from their Northern border regions all the way until they were all lost in the trackless wastelands of Central Asia. I suspect Central Asia served as the melting pot for nomadic warrior societies being pursued by much larger and better equipped military forces. The persecution of these nomads resulted in the diversity and richness of pre-modern Turkmen life and their rich weaving traditions.