The 12 Days of Christmas (Oriental Rugs Edition)

Turkoman Style

“H2 Heading” The Turkmen Carpet Museum in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

The 12 Days of Christmas, Oriental Rugs Edition is all about introducing you to authentic Oriental rugs, and where they come from. We’re touring our favorite places in the world, and we’ll visit a new city each day. By the end of the 12 Days of Christmas, you’ll be the smartest cookie at the holiday party, talkin’ all about fine vintage rugs. Let’s go!

On this third day of Christmas, we’re taking you to the amazing Turkmen Carpet Museum of Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. On March 20, 1993 the Turkmen Carpet Museum was created thanks to a Presidential Decree by the government of Turkmenistan. In fact, even before the country gained independence in 1991, it had established the last Sunday of May as a national holiday, called Carpet Day!

Today, the Carpet Museum is a major cultural center of Turkmenistan, with more than 2,000 carpets on exhibition and the rarest of designs and antiques. One carpet on display has an incredible 1,350,000 knots! 

So What’s So Special About Turkoman Style Carpets?

Well, they are a hand-woven, floor-covering textile, produced by nomadic tribes from Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan. They use only raw and natural materials.

Turkmen Tribal Designs

The design you’ll find on a Turkmen tribal rug traditionally holds a deep red and burgundy background. We call the design, an “allover tribal design” covering the entire space within the border of the rug. Often, the pattern is geometric, and you’ll usually see a distinct octagonal-shaped motif. This is the tell-tale characteristic of a Turkmen rug.

So next time, you’re talkin’ tribal design rugs

Look for something from the magnificent Turkomen culture, a style rich in history and overflowing with tradition.