Turkoman rugs are hand woven by nomadic weavers living in Turkmenistan,
Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and the Province of Khorassan in northeastern
Iran. Turkoman rugs are not exclusive to any one region does not
necessarily bearing striking similarities to the region that it was
woven in. The Salor, Saryk, Tekke, Youmut, Arabchi, Chodor, and Ersari
are the tribes who are known for weaving Turkoman rugs. Weaving has
been a way of life for the Turkoman people for centuries and they have
a reputation for producing an extremely high quality Persian carpet.
Talented artisans produce their one-of-a-kind works of art using
asymmetrical knots with very high KPSI (knots per square inch) on a
double wefted wool foundation.
The three distinguishing features on Turkoman rugs are a background
color that is red to reddish brown, a geometric pattern, and a unique
octagonal motif known as the Gul, which is seen in several variations.
Gul means flower in Farsi, although there are those who believe that
the word gul originated from an ancient Turkish word meaning family or
tribe. The layout on Turkoman rugs is typically all-over and the Guls
are often repeated in rows with smaller Guls (referred to as minor
Guls) in between the rows of larger Guls (referred to as major Guls).
The predominant colors on the designs and borders of Turkoman rugs are
white, beige, black, and blue.
The warps of Turkoman rugs are usually ivory, while the wefts are
brown. The pile is very soft and lush. Due to the compact nature of the
handmade looms, it is most common to see Turkoman rugs in small to
mid-size. These spectacular masterpieces truly are works of art. It is
as common to see Turkoman rugs hanging on the wall as on the floor.
However, whether you use or display Turkoman rugs, it will certainly
enhance any environment with beauty and warmth and originality.