1800s, Turcoman

Carpet, hand knotted woollen pile on woollen warp and weft, Central Asian, Turkoman, 19th century.

WARP: brown wool; Z2S; 14 threads per inch (55 per dm). NB: at least 10 extra warps have been introduced at the beginning of the field and side borders; a similar number have been reduced where the top border meets the plain weave.

WEFT: cream wool; Z spun, unplied, with two shoots after each row of knots; 8 knots per inch (36 per dm).

PILE: wool; 6 colours: red, yellow, blue/green, dark blue, dark brown (decayed in places), white; asymmetrical knot open to the right and tied around 2 threads; 56 knots per sq. inch (990 per sq. dm).

SIDE FINISH: both sides have 4 cords overcast in pairs in alternating blocks of light red and blue/green.

END FINISH: Lower: 3" (7.5 cms) max of plain weave with light red weft and with 3 narrow bands in blue/green. Upper: 4" (10 cms) max of plain weave with light red weft and with two sets of 3 narrow bands in blue/green.

DESIGN: field: 10 vertical rows with red ground alternating with either green or dark blue ground; each row bears 9 similar motifs - they are six-sided with two long sides serrated and each contains three rows of flowerheads - the whole framed above and below by an arch in the same colour formed from six triangles. Bands of flowerheads across the field divide the motifs horizontally. The ten rows are divided vertically by a row of single dark brown knots.
The motifs in the lowest band rest on a triangular base and above is an irregular band of flowerheads. NB: the first 2" (1.25 cms) of the field is of a different design with much yellow and some dark brown.
Main border: a red ground is divided top and bottom into rectangles by lines of dark brown single knots. Each contains a blue/green lozenge, alternating with dark blue, extending vertically in lines of single knots that end with a white or yellow knot. The design continues without the rectangular divisions along the side borders.
Inner and outer borders: a red ground. The side borders are broader and on the lower left-hand side are two diamonds, a human figure and a comb; the lower half of the right-hand side has a row of 12 diamonds; both upper sides have a scattering of individual knots in blue/green or dark blue.
Date catalogued: 15.2.95

cf: Schurmann (1969) ill. 52 "Ersari-Beshir, Middle of the 19th century" NB" ray guls" in the main border.

Tzareva (1984) ill. 97 "Ersari Khali (fragment), 19th century.

The old repair in the centre of this carpet is very obvious - a patch of painted canvas has been used to cover the missing and damaged areas, but it mustn't distract you from one detail: the sides of this carpet have been woven by grouping the four outermost cords in pairs and overcasting them with alternating blocks of light red and green wool to form a decorative as well as functional selvedge.

963(IS)-1883