Tekke Main Carpet

Unknown

early 19th century · Wool (warp), wool (weft and pile); asymmetrically knotted pile · Islamic Art

Large rectangular carpets such as this one, the most important and expensive weavings created by every Turkmen tribe, are referred to as ‘main carpets.’ They were the primary floor covering used in Turkmen tents, and were decorated with the main gul, the most important symbol used for each tribe. The nomadic Turkmen of Central Asia are renowned for their technically skilled and visually dramatic weaving. This carpet can be attributed to the Tekke subgroup of the Turkmen nomads based on the specific form of the gul motifs, which are unique to each tribal unit. The skill of the Turkmen weavers can be seen in the expertly conceived and meticulously executed design of this carpet.

Artist

Unknown

Date

early 19th century

Medium

Wool (warp), wool (weft and pile); asymmetrically knotted pile

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

The James F. Ballard Collection, Gift of James F. Ballard, 1922