The Saryk Anomaly

2 foot 10 inches by 4 foot 6 inches

The Saryk are one of the original 23 tribes of the Oghuz Confederation. In the early 19th century they defeated the Salor and for a short period of time were the preeminent Turkmen tribe until losing their primary position to the Tekke.

Saryk weaving normally falls into three phases:

First phase has a soft clear orange red as the field color no silk or cotton pile Turkish knots and a soft apricot color in the Gul.
Second phase rugs often use silk and cotton in the pile, insect dyes and the main field red tends more to a blue or a brown red than the orange red of the first phase. Gul quadrants use a color more orange than the apricot of the first phase rugs. Both Turkish and Persian knotting are seen in Second phase.
Third phase: Colors are darker and brown and purple brown are seen as field colors. At worst there is garish overuse of insect dyed silk and cotton as white. Rugs use Turkish knots.

This rug is an anomaly. It does not fit clearly into the conventional wisdom of our understanding of Saryk weaving. I should make up some story that this is 400 years old and a "Museum" piece. However life is too short to try to snooker you with exagerated claims so I will call this a late 19th century anomaly.

Saryk Juval Fragment. Southwest Asia, Circa 1890. 2 foot 10 inches by 4 foot 6 inches. (Not including fringe)

Structure: Symmetrical knot.9 knots per horizontal inch and 12 knots per vertical inch. 108 per square inch (1674 per square decimeter). slightly depressed.

Yarn Spin: Z.

Warp: 2 ply wool, tan.

Weft: 2 shots 2 ply wool, tan.

Pile: 2 Wool singles.

Further Notes: Fragmentary with condition problems. The bluish red is insect based natural dye (caraminic acid) and the light red is most likely Azo, the blue is natural indigo, and the ivory and brown are natural as well. There is transference of the Azo like dye into lighter areas.

A very odd piece, indeed!

The knot ratio is 9 to 12 which points to an early attribution. The archaic drawing and wide Gul spaceing points to an early attribution. The color points towards an early attribution. The occasional use of offset field knotting points towards an early attribution.

Note the Purple reddish brown color. On www.Turkotek.com John Howe has suggested that purple wool comes from Purple Karakul Sheep. This same fellow that thinks green wool comes from green sheep. Needless to say the dye tests indicated that this wool was dyed.

For Further Reading:

Guide to Rugs & Books

La Miniature En Orient

Notes on the War on Terrorism

Southwest Asia Time Line

Thanks and best wishes,

J. Barry O'Connell Jr.

Persian Rugs the O'Connell Guides