Turkmen Rugs

Turkmens or Turkomans are Asian nomadic peoples who have settled ultimately in Central Asia from Samarkand to the eastern coast of Caspian Sea, continuing their semi-nomadic life-style. They are most probably descended from Turkic tribes of Oghuz who had moved westward from the Altay Mountains in the 7th century, through the Siberian steppes, and settled in the region nowadays located in Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Iran.

Turkmens are very proud of their hand-woven rugs. Turkmenistan’s flag is adorned with five main patterns of the Turkmen carpets as tokens for the five main Turkmen subtribes: Yomut, Ersari, Saryk, Choudor, and Tekke. Each of these tribes have a specific rug design.

They have appeared in the Persian history with the dominance of a Subtribe called Salor. Salors had been the richest and more powerful Turkmens since the 11th century. Tekkes and Yomuts are descended from this branch. Salors are now settled mainly near Sarakhs in northeastern Iran and their name has remained on some woven pieces from Iranian market.

Turkmens of Iran are mostly Yomut and Tekke. They live in Golestan, Northern Khorasan and Razavi Khorasan provinces.

Technical aspects and the structure of Turkmen Rugs

Turkmen rugs used to be fully woolen with exception of silken warps for dowry rugs. Nowadays cotton warp and weft are also could be found.

Turkmens weave double-wefted pieces with symmetrical (Turkish) knots. Looms are mostly horizontal. Iranian Turkmen rugs are denser than the pieces made in Turkmenistan or Pakistan.

Turkmen carpets have different usages including tent rugs, door hangings, backrest cushions and saddle bags.

Dyeing and painting of Turkmen rugs

Turkmen palette is rather limited. Variants of crimson are dominant. Dark crimson and yellowish crimson could be mentioned which both are obtained from madder. Subordinate colors are dark blue, white, black, dark green, brown and brownish red, olive, beige and ivory.

Dyestuffs are mainly natural but chemical dyeing is also used in some cases in recent decades.

Designs and patterns of the Turkmen rugs

Turkmen carpets chiefly enjoy all-over designs with repeating patterns. Although the main patterns are officially attributed to main subtribes but practically it is hard to assign each of them to a specific tribe. Chemche or Qashoqi, Bukhara, Cheshm Ghazal and Chahar Fasl are famous designs woven by Iranian Turkmens.

Most of Turkmen patterns are described as Gul (flower). These are geometric forms such as diamonds, octagons and hexagons which have similarities with patterns used in all over the Orient, with interpretations should be identified as Turkmen. But the origins of these patterns are not certain.

Turkmens have been mixed over time with Iranian peoples of Central Asia such as Sogdians, Chorasmians and Scythians, and also other Turkic peoples of the region. So it is not abnormal to find lots of Persian names for their patterns. According to Ali Hassouri, words such as Filpay (Elephant Foot), Chemche (cupped spoon), Ayna (mirror), Sakar Gul (sugar flower) and etc. tell us these patterns are precedent in the region.