Vintage Adkhoy Turkman namad or felt from Afghanistan. 257x173 cms

Vintage Andkhoy Turkman Namad (Felt) — Afghanistan

This remarkable vintage Andkhoy Turkman namad (felt) from northern Afghanistan showcases an unusually intricate design for its type. Traditionally, Turkman felts feature bold, large-scale patterns due to the technical challenges of felt-making. However, this exceptional piece displays a far more complex and finely executed composition.

The field is dominated by eight-pointed star medallions — a complete central motif flanked by two partial medallions — creating a harmonious and balanced layout. The surface is richly embellished with delicate floral elements that fill most of the field and continue into the main border, demonstrating extraordinary attention to detail. In contrast, the outer border introduces a striking geometric motif, providing a bold visual frame for the overall design.

The color palette is bright and warm, enhancing the vibrancy of the intricate patterns. The felt is slightly thinner than typical examples, and the sides show minor wear consistent with age. Because of its finer structure, this piece would be best displayed as a wall hanging or placed in a low-traffic area.

An exquisite example of Andkhoy craftsmanship — rare for its level of detail and artistry.

Material: 100% hand-spun sheep wool

Size:  257×173 cms

Origin: Andkhoy Baluch, Afghanistan

Date of weaving: 1960s

FELT (Mid. and New. Pers., namad), material produced by process of felting, the entanglement of animal fiber in all directions, appropriately done to form a soft and homogeneous mass. The technique was originally devised in nomadic communities of Central Asia, spreading toward China and the Greek world well before the 3rd century B.C.E., but for a long time confined to the Asian continent.

The method of felt-making, rather simple and uniform, constitutes the basis for a large number of products currently in use. As is often the case, the banality of the phenomenon have contributed to leading researchers astray; the techniques, usages, and aesthetics of felt appear, therefore, to be relatively unknown, particularly in comparison to those of what is perceived as the more “noble” craft of weaving.

Production. The main primary substances used in the production of felt are camel and sheep wool (preferably that of autumn, the second shearing season, and of lamb wool, which are finer), goat’s underhair taken from the animal by combing, which produces felt of a higher quality.

Most felts are made out of white, beige, brown, gray, or black natural wool. In addition, some types of light-colored felts can be more or less highly decorated. Several methods, applied at different stages of production, are available: before soaking, tufts of wool dyed in advance can be applied to achieve the desired motifs; before the felt has dried, designs can be made with dye; after drying the felt can be embroidered, decoratively cut, or embossed

Felt is produced to some extent everywhere, either within the household—a situation prevalent in rural areas, where men and women work together, generally under the direction of women—or in the context of exercising a craft: professional felt-makers, generally men, are grouped together in specialized neighborhoods or bāzārs, Their activity is often seasonal, and they may move from one town to another.

Felts are true artistic creations, born from the imagination and sensitivity of the women who make them. Unlike carpets or kilims, where the warp and weft impose a rigid structure, felt offers total freedom of form and composition.

In the felting process, wool is transformed through pressure, water, and movement — but also through the creative energy of women’s hands. The artists can draw directly with fiber, layer colors, improvise abstract or figurative motifs, and let the material speak for itself.

Thus, felts are not only functional objects but also spaces of personal and collective expression, where women give form to their inner world, their natural surroundings, and their cultural memory — free from the technical constraints of weaving.