Clay Stewart Collection of Türkmen Textiles

The knots per square inch count is width 20 and height 10 = 200 asymmetrical kpsi, pulled open to the right, with a w/h ratio of ½ resulting in a medium supple handle. Single weft shoots of un-dyed natural light brown combed lamb’s wool are twisted into a Z-ply and a twist of 3 natural blonde strands of combed sheep’s wool in a warp twisted in an S ply. Knot shoots of very soft combed wool gives them a velvety feel to the touch. Flat warps when viewed from the back are perfectly symmetrical and even, a sign of very careful mature weaving. Close up from the back shows single wefts.

There are 4 columns of 10 each or 40 primary cü:wal güls, each bisected by 4 vertical ala ja poles of tiny red, white and blue squares. There are 3 vertical columns of 9 complete chemche secondary güls which are each bisected by 3 north south ala ja multi-color poles. There are 18 partially hidden minor chemche emblems (9 on each side of the field) and 10 (5 on each end) all bisected as well by vertical multi-color ala ja poles. There are 28 partially hidden chemche secondary güls. There are 9 ala ja (multi-color stripes) narrow vertical guard borders that bisect each primary cüwal gül into compartments and then bi-sect the secondary minor chemche güls as well. Only Ahal Téké rugs used thin blue lines that bisected all their major göls and minor güls on main rugs, vertically and horizontally forming a grid on their large rugs and less often on their small rugs (Ref., Moshkova). The perimeter of the center square field is flanked by gelyn barmack minor guard borders which in turn are flanked by soldat (Russian for soldier) aka 'repeated tuning fork motif' narrow minor guard borders that flank a main border of a repeated square gochanak variant. Only in the horizontal top and bottom ends are the soldat guard borders substituted by tekbent guard borders of repeated checked crosses in the minor guard border design. For many reasons including the knot structure, certain colors, wool and designs this rug appears to be a true Ahal Téké Türkmen weaving and a fine old one, quite possibly too fine for a young girl of 12 to weave for her dowry. It was more likely woven by her mother for that purpose or even better, by her grandmother.

Bridal mats were small squarish rugs often woven by a young girl bride 'to be' as an example of her skill in weaving. It would become part of a small but fine group of utilitarian rugs given by the bride to her husband as her dowry. These were often woven by all the other female members of her family. This small bridal rug accompanied her on her wedding camel procession to her new father in law’s tent where she sat on it in the women’s section while she received her girlfriends.

Several delicate dreamy tones of cochineal in the field. Soft hints of the long forgotten 'Ahal Téké 'cherry red' dye showing in the field. Abrash shows throughout the field. This rug has a very lovely, sophisticated palate and is woven by a master weaver.

East Ahal Oasis, around Denghil Tepe, the 19th century stronghold home of the White Bearded Ram Türkmen or more commonly known by their eponymous name the Ahal Téké Türkmen.