Arabatchi tent main carpet

Arabatchi tent main carpet
western Turkmenistan
circa 1880
Size: 265 x 208 cm

The Arabatchi are one of the rarer groups of Turkmen who practiced pastoralism on the steppes of Central Asia. Their rugs and trappings seldom appear on the market and as a tribe they appear to have disappeared by the end of the 19th century.This the only Arabatchi tent main carpet we have handled and it displays several recognisable features in technique, design and colour. Structurally, it uses the asymmetrical knot and plied cotton and woollen wefts. The aubergine purple brown of the field is typical and it features repeating field motif of tavuk nuska guls, octagons containing small horned stylised animals.