Semi-antique Turkman rug from Afghanistan. 325x245 cms

Semi-Antique Turkman Rug, c. 1940s

A beautiful semi-antique Turkman rug dating from the 1940s, featuring a super-soft, plush pile and a sophisticated, restrained colour palette. Rich red dominates the design, complemented by a few carefully balanced tones that give the rug an elegant and timeless character.

The main field features two columns of traditional güls, with five güls in each column, framed by multiple finely drawn borders.

Remarkably well preserved, the rug retains its full original pile, just as it would have appeared when first woven. It also preserves the original kilim ends at both sides. All the dyes are natural. 

A particularly elegant example of a mid-20th-century Turkman rug, combining strong traditional design with an exceptionally soft and inviting surface.

Material: 100% hand-spun sheep wool   

Size: 325×245 cms

Origin: Turkmen tribes, Afghanistan

Date of weaving: 1940s

The turkmenare people who speak a language belonging to the southwestern branch of the Turkic languages. The majority live in Turkmenistan and in neighbouring parts of Central Asia and numbered more than 6 million at the beginning of the 21st century. About one-third of the total population lives in Iran, especially in the north, and another 500,000 live in northeastern and northwestern Afghanistan.  These groups are called the Transcaspian Turkmen. Pockets of Turkmen are found in northern Iraq and Syria. Smaller groups live in central Turkey. The territory of the Turkmen is generally arid. They were by tradition a nomadic pastoral people, living in tent villages and raising sheep, goats, horses, camels, asses, and cattle.