We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Decor

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Is a Turkmen Rug?

By H. Colledge
Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 6,118
References
Share

A Turkmen rug is a type of small carpet originating from the country known as Turkmenistan. The design of Turkmen rugs is thought to have changed little in over 2,000 years. Decorations include geometric patterns, stylized representations of Turkmen life, and the use of red above all other colors. Methods of carpet manufacture have been handed down through generations, and Turkmen rugs are still created using real sheep wool and natural dyes. Five traditional rug patterns have evolved, which are represented on the flag of Turkmenistan.

Traditional oriental carpet weaving methods, such as those used to create a Turkmen rug, involve the construction of warp threads, weft threads and knots. The warp consists of the threads which run along the whole length of the rug and which support the carpet's weight when it is hanging on a loom. Rows of knots, which form the pile of the rug, are tied across the warp threads and, after each row is completed, weft threads are woven across to secure it. Different varieties of Turkmen rug may use symmetrical or asymmetrical knotting techniques and the weft style may also vary. The Turkmen rug is quite unlike the suzani rug of Uzbekistan and the tush kyiz of Kazakhstan or Kyrgyzstan, which are richly hand-embroidered pieces of fabric.

Before it achieved independence in 1991, Turkmenistan was part of the Soviet Union. The country is situated beside the Caspian Sea, and along its borders lie Iran, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Turkmen carpet manufacturing is thought to date from around the sixth century BC. Traditionally, Turkmen people were nomads who lived in tents and bred animals such as goats and sheep. While the sheep provided a ready supply of wool for Turkmen rug making, plants found locally could also be used to make dyes.

Turkmen carpets were used as floor coverings and to create temporary walls, providing important insulation. A Turkmen rug is ideally suited to the nomadic lifestyle, being relatively thin and light yet durable and capable of being woven on a portable loom. When Turkmenistan became part of the Soviet Union, many of the Turkmen tribes were forced to abandon the nomadic way of life and became settled farmers. They made money from the sale of crops and craft products, in particular the prized Turkmen rug. In neighboring Afghanistan, Soviet occupation is thought to have given rise to war rugs, with designs illustrating conflict.

Share
HomeQuestionsAnswered is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Link to Sources
Discussion Comments
By redking — On Oct 18, 2012

No arguments with this informative rug article-- just a few important additions.

Although historically from what is now Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, huge numbers of the Turkmen are now settled in Afghanistan and even in Pakistan, with smaller numbers in Iran.

What distinguishes all of the five major Turkman groups (The Tekke, Yomud, Salor, Saryk and the Chaudor) other than the predominent use of a deep madder red 'ground' color is the 'GUL'.

This is a loosely octagonal-shaped motif which, usually in repeated rows, is clearly the most important design element in the rug. This is the design generally, if inaccurately, known in the West as "Bokhara".

Each of the tribal groups mentioned has its own quite distinctive forms of the gul.Some scholars suggest that the gul is a (very!) stylised floral element, the word for rose in Persian being gul.

Maybe, or maybe it's just a totemic emblem whose roots are lost in time.

Share
https://www.homequestionsanswered.com/what-is-a-turkmen-rug.htm
Copy this link
HomeQuestionsAnswered, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

HomeQuestionsAnswered, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.