Traditional turkoman rugs have a very distinct appearance and are a stylish choice when you are looking for floor coverings for your home. How do you know you have found the genuine article? You would look at the rogue scholar, pattern and for a distinctive motif. When you see these three characteristics together, you have found a real Turkoman rug.

This type of traditional rug is produced in Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. They are also made in Khorassan, in northeast Iran and are usually hand knotted.

Turkoman Traditional Colours

One of the distinguishing characteristics of a Turkoman rug is its background colour. Look for one that has a red or reddish brown background colour. If the rug you are looking at looks different from this description, then it is something other than a Turkoman rug.

Turkoman Traditional Rug Pattern

The next thing you should look for in your search for a Turkoman rug is the layout of its pattern. A true Turkoman is laid out in a geometric pattern. To get the full effect, you will need to make sure that you can see the rug fully laid out.

Turkoman Motif

The third characteristic of a Turkoman rug is a motif known as a gul. This word is Persian for "flower" and is used to describe the octagon-shaped pattern formed using contrasting yarns in the rug. Look for guls made with black, blue, white or beige when you are shopping for a floor covering.

Traditionally, each tribe making rugs would have its own version of the gul. As tribes battled over the years, however, the purity of each family’s distinctive design were lost, conquering tribes adopted the guls of the defeated. Some forms of the traditional gul can still be traced back to the original tribes, though.

You may also find a Turkoman rug that has a hatchli design, which is indicative of an ensi rug. These rugs were not used to cover floors. Instead, they were placed over the entrance to Turkoman tents. This design is used by weavers in Afghanistan.

A hatchli design features a large cross that divides the background of the rug into four sections. Each section of the rug has an identical pattern. One common design used in this type of rug looks very similar to a menorah (a candleholder that can accommodate several candles).

Choosing a Traditional Turkoman Rug

Since a Turkoman rug has a very detailed pattern, you will probably want to make it the focal point of your room. Set it off by displaying it prominently, pick one or two of the contrasting colours in the rug, and include them in your decorating scheme to bring the whole look of the room together. The most popular colour is a red rug.

The rest of the furnishing in the room should be relatively plain to avoid clashing with the rug. Painting the walls in a solid colour will also help to keep the focus on the Turkoman rug you have chosen. Something this distinctive and lovely should definitely be displayed to advantage in your home.

This entry was posted on January 23, 2012 at 8:06 PM and has received 73 views. There are currently 0 comments.