Turkmen
is a Turkish clan living now in North of Iran, North of Afghanistan
and East part of Caspian Sea, in Republics of Turkmenistan and
Uzbekistan.
This
people, though having preserved their originality, have lost many
traditions, whether during the wars with adjacent people, or under
influence of governing cultures of neighbors, so that following their
history is quite difficult.
They,
more than anything, are fond of their carpets, have woven it in
various features and different sizes, to supply their various needs of
migration and semi-decamping life and cause delight and mirth to
migration way of living.
The recent evolutions, have
deprived world from their woven handicrafts of tribes such as
mirror-case, spoon case and salt container (Namakdan), to the best
carpets that family
weave as dowry to offer to its daughter, ..., of
pitchers, saddle covers, bridles, siliques to the various pieces used
to closing, covering of curtain or in a tent.
Some
woven used as sleeping bed, suitcase or ornament were as a symbol of
economic-financial stand and social value of the family and in the
same time could remove financial problems of family; today, most of
those hand-woven are replaced by modern artificial, in cities.
Woven
of tribes, specially Turkmen, were so elaborate and skillful, that
created wonderful collection with most simple and primitive tools.
Those objects, sometimes, specially on wedding, were exhibited on
horses or camels.
In
the same time, those carpets, though carefully and elaborately woven,
were not durable and soon became threadbare, therefore only some
samples of those carpets are remind, which notwithstanding the
accidents and happenings are saved, in the course of time.
The
oldest sample goes back not further than18th century AD., when the
history of Turkmen carpet is not quite clear.
Like
every tribe, economic foundation of Turkmen is animal husbandry, but
geographic and political situations sometimes produced better
possibility for tribe, such as agriculture.
During
the time, Turkmen were not so much attached to government, though they
were effective, sometimes in formation of governments or their
governing forces.
Another
source of their income is participation in transport business and
securing caravan roads or international highways, spread from West
China to Anatolia.
Sometimes
governments, rich men or merchants would hire a few hundred or
thousand camels, horses or ponies from migrant Turkmen, who secured
the hazardous or could attract the grace of governments, even at some
instances an unsecured zone was given to this tribe against exemption
from tax and duty.
Although
carpet weaving, in some of Turkmen tribes, is not confirmed, but some
clans, bigger, stronger or older than other clans, used to weave
carpet.
General
pattern of Turkmen carpet shows no important evolution, but is
remained as repetitive images, which have 600 years of precedent in
Iran and could be seen in many miniatures of 13th century
A.D. and onward.
Whereas
the oldest carpet of the world, has also repetitive images, it is a
fact that Turkmen images are remained in a primary static state.
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