Antique Turkmen Wedding Rug, Ersary Tribes, Middle Amu Darya Region, Turkmenistan, Central Asia.

Name: Antique Turkmen Wedding Rug, Ersary Tribes, Middle Amu Darya Region, Turkmenistan, Central Asia.
Brand: Antique
SKU: SA981017
Availability: SoldOut

19th century

Sold by Brian MacDonald Antique Rugs & Carpets

Description

One particular weaving, which was symbolically important to the Turkmen, and featured here, was the Turkmen Wedding Rug.

In 1970 when working among the Yomut Turkmen, Mugul Andrews was aware of a young girl working at a loom by herself. She asked the young girl, who was a member of that household, what her little rug was to be used for. She didn't answer! She asked again but received no reply from the girl. When Mugul insisted, the young girlk put her finger to her lips as a sign to keep quiet. At breakfast the next day, the young girl volunteered that the rug she was weaving was to be used at her wedding. She explained that it was a highly-prized rug where she will sit on it as though it were her throne and take her marriage vows. After the wedding, she and her husband will sit on it together alone and drink the sherbet brought to them and break bread together. They will make each other a promise to be faithful. A few days later, the young girl will take the rug under her arm and go to her mother-in-law when she will kiss her hand. On returning to the marriage yurt, the rug will not be used agaiun except for guests to sit on.

She added that for such an important rug, she shouldn't talk while weaving it as the smallest piece of gossip, a lie or bad talk could ruin its cleanliness. As a symbol of her wedding, it had to be knotted under very special conditions.

The wedding rug illustrated here was made by Ersary Turkmen in the Middle Amu Darya region of Turkmenistan circa 1860-1870. It has the most beautiful glossy madder-red ground depicting two vertical rows of five Ersary 'guls' (tribal crests) in full pile. The checkerboard flatweave skirts remain at both ends and the rug has no repairs whatsoever. A truly magnificent and rare example of an Ersary tribal wedding rug.

Size: 1.42m x 1.07m (4' 8" x 3' 6").

Physical Dimensions

Height

142cm (55.91")

Width

107cm (42.13")

Declaration

Brian MacDonald Antique Rugs & Carpets has dated this piece to the 1870s.

Reference Numbers

Sellingantiques Reference

SA981017

Dealers Internal Reference

BM/MI

Dealers Notes

Viewing by appointment only.

Description

One particular weaving, which was symbolically important to the Turkmen, and featured here, was the Turkmen Wedding Rug.

“

In 1970 when working among the Yomut Turkmen, Mugul Andrews was aware of a young girl working at a loom by herself.

Brian MacDonald Antique Rugs & Carpets

She asked the young girl, who was a member of that household, what her little rug was to be used for. She didn't answer! She asked again but received no reply from the girl. When Mugul insisted, the young girlk put her finger to her lips as a sign to keep quiet. At breakfast the next day, the young girl volunteered that the rug she was weaving was to be used at her wedding. She explained that it was a highly-prized rug where she will sit on it as though it were her throne and take her marriage vows. After the wedding, she and her husband will sit on it together alone and drink the sherbet brought to them and break bread together. They will make each other a promise to be faithful. A few days later, the young girl will take the rug under her arm and go to her mother-in-law when she will kiss her hand. On returning to the marriage yurt, the rug will not be used agaiun except for guests to sit on.

fig 1. Antique Turkmen Wedding Rug, Ersary Tribes, Middle Amu Darya Region, Turkmenistan, Central Asia.

She added that for such an important rug, she shouldn't talk while weaving it as the smallest piece of gossip, a lie or bad talk could ruin its cleanliness. As a symbol of her wedding, it had to be knotted under very special conditions.

fig 2. Antique Turkmen Wedding Rug, Ersary Tribes, Middle Amu Darya Region, Turkmenistan, Central Asia.

The wedding rug illustrated here was made by Ersary Turkmen in the Middle Amu Darya region of Turkmenistan circa 1860-1870. It has the most beautiful glossy madder-red ground depicting two vertical rows of five Ersary 'guls' (tribal crests) in full pile. The checkerboard flatweave skirts remain at both ends and the rug has no repairs whatsoever. A truly magnificent and rare example of an Ersary tribal wedding rug.

Size: 1.42m x 1.07m (4' 8" x 3' 6").