Turkmen Embroidery, Yomud tribe, late 19th century, 1' 1" x 1' 2"
| Turkmen embroidery is one the last "frontiers" of collecting in terms of the material culture of these tribal groups in Central Asia. Largely ignored, except for the ubiquitous chyrpys of the Tekke, the embroidery of the Turkmen reflects a long tradition of design, colour and format made BY women for themselves and their children. Rarely do the men of these groups wear anything that is embroidered by the women, save for the occasional hats worn by Uzbek men.
This embroidery consists of silk embroidery on a red felt trade cloth ground. The pattern depicts the ubiquitous tree motifs, perhaps symbolizing fertility and life. The quirks of patterning that occur in the quartered panels of the design, an odd hook here (see final detail photo), a specific tamghan (left side) there represents the innovation of the woman who is not bound by the constraints of tribal traditions. Originally folded as an "envelope" to form the pouch that would house a woman's personal valuables, this example has been opened and laid flat (& mounted) so that it can be viewed as a complete entitiy, as it was conceived in the mind's eye of the woman who made it. There is minor damage to the embroidery due to wear (see detail images), but it is in overall good condition. |
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