Cleveland Museum of Art

Turkmen Main Carpet

Date

mid-1850s

Medium

Wool, knotted pile, 128-136 symmetrical knots per square inch

Culture

Turkmenistan, Yomud tribe, 19th century

Department

Textiles

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

In the Islamic world, carpets symbolize status and wealth. A carpet’s origin can be identified by its design, color, and technique. Shades of red and lobed motifs, or guls, are hallmarks of Turkmen carpets woven by nomadic tribes across northeast Iran, Afghanistan, and central Asia. This main carpet of the Yomud tribe features beautiful colors in the guls on a rich aubergine ground; the decorated skirts, or elem, with stylized flora at each end, are its rarest feature. This carpet would have been the prized possession within the living quarters of a round tent, or yurt.

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