Clay Stewart Collection of Türkmen Textiles

10 x 15 = 150 asymmetrical kpsi, pulled open to the left, with a width/height ratio of 1:1.5.  Two cord side edges overcast with red yarn.  Straight, combed, sparkling un-dyed natural blonde S-plyed wool warps.  Knots show even (horizontal) from the back.  Beautiful abrash.  Soft, lustrous wool.  Stunning color.  Original backing removed.  Corner damage, top left and lower right, part missing.   Some wear in field. 

Caravan transport bag. Identification of tribe by emblems used by that tribe as viewed by other tribes.

Two opposing gyak ala ja double narrow stripes (energy channelers) across the top edge.  Main field has alternating dark/light Salyr çüwal gül in four rows of  three each, with two columns of half-güls on both left and right sides.  Three rows of four full çemçe minor emblems with gochak motifs on four cross’s end points with another two rows of four each half-çemçe emblems (partially hidden) on the top and bottom. One main border showing äyna gochak (symbolic mirror motifs), a double-cross gochanakvariant alternating with four colors (white, light blue, red, dark blue) moving from light to dark and repeating, flanked on both sides by tengejik strips, next are two guard borders flanking the main border showing the judur pattern.  Lower apron has gochak tipped gyak ala ja poles that are latticed.

The west bank of the Middle Amu Darya river area was a major weaving source of small rugs called MAD rugs (Middle Amu Darya) and large rugs woven for the domestic rug markets in Samarkand and Khiva in the late 19th century by the Ar-saryTürkmen, who were settled in this quartering area, east of Merv, south of Bukhara, until the Russian Army forced their retreat into Afghanistan at the end of the 19th century.

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