What is a chuval face?

A chuval face is the decorative front panel of a nomadic storage sack originally used in Central Asian tents. These sturdy textiles were sheared from their utilitarian cotton and wool backs to be preserved as flat wall hangings. Over decades, collectors valued the intricate repeating patterns and natural dyes, removing the functional sacks from daily tribal use to display them as textile art.

How old are these bag faces?

The pieces available date from the mid nineteenth century up to nineteen hundred. Many examples originate around eighteen eighty, with earlier specimens stretching back towards eighteen fifty. Exact dating relies on structural analysis, wool quality, and the specific palette of natural dyes employed by the tribal weaver.

What do the different guls mean?

Guls are primary octagonal medallions that identify the weaving tribe and sub-group. Tekke weavers frequently incorporated Salor guls or turreted variations into their chuval compositions. These motifs served as visual markers of clan identity while demonstrating the technical skill of the individual weaver through precise symmetry and scale.

How do I display a textile?

These pieces function well as wall hangings due to their flat, woven structure and occasional surviving hanging loops. Support should be distributed evenly across the top edge using a sleeve or padded bar. Direct sunlight should be avoided to protect the natural dyes from fading over time, preserving the contrast of the wool fibres.

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Tekke Chuval Bag Face

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These antique tekke chuval bag face examples are tribal weavings rich in wool and natural dyes, prized by collectors for their complex guls and historic Central Asian artistry.