Afghan Rugs: New Afghan Production Flower Repeat

New Afghan Production Flower Repeat

New vegetal dye Turkmen rug made by Afghans. It was sold to me as vegetal dyed and there is no reason to think other wise. I like to be cautious because I gave one Oilville school teacher hell for making absolute dye attributions without chemical dye analyses, so let me say it looks vegetal. The wool quality is very high. The key to these Veg dye rugs is not the exact dye composition but rather that these represent the best grade of production with better dyes, better wool, harmonious color combinations, and a stricter attention to quality.

This rug is one of the most attractive that I have seen and at the same time is utilitarian so it will stand up to a great deal of heavy use. I like it as a rug and my wife Jodi loves the way it looks, so it is a sure winner.

Structure: Asymmetrical knot open left. 9 knots per horizontal inch and 10 knots per vertical inch. 90 per square inch (1395 per square decimeter). moderately depressed.

Yarn Spin: Z.

Warp: 2 ply wool, gray.

Weft: 2 shot first one thick and straight and second thin and sinuous.

Pile: 2 Wool singles.

Ends: 1 1/2 inch warp faced plain weave, warp fringe.

Selvages: 4 cord selvage wrapped in brown wool.

Further Notes: New rug, meaty handle, great wool, No holes, tears, rips or low spots. Thick pile.

Here we see two of the very traditional borders. The larger border is called the gotshak border and it dates back to the Oghuz Confederation in the 13th century. It is visible in virtually all Turkmen weaving groups and is also seen in Turkish weaving. I feel that it was a common border to the most likely tribes of the Oguz prior to their split in the early part of this Millennia. I should note that I am not the only one to ever notice the probable origins of this border. I have been working on a theory where the Ersari are the direct successors to the Oghuz. At some point I will get around to writing it up. The other interesting border is the one with the three small boteh shapes, one yellow and two brown. That is called the Badam Guli design. I use that as a guide marker for Afghan Turkmen. I never see it in any piece except those that I attribute to Afghanistan.