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A Yomud Turkmen Tent Girth
(Ak Yup)
Turkmenistan 18th or 19th Century, smoked, small
holes, minor moth damage, water stains, side
finishes added. Approximately 45fi. 5 in. by Ft.
2 in. (13.85 m. by 0.36 m.)
The tent girth literally prevents the tent
from collapsing. Functional bands are 40 to 55
feet long and flat-woven. The Turkmen also make a
decorative ceremonial type of band with a design
in pile on a white cotton ground. Such bands are
used to decorate guest tents and wedding tents.
They run high up around the outside of the
framework beneath the felts, with the pile facing
inwards so that the pattern is visible to the
occupants of the tent. See: Andrews, Peter A., in
Thompson and Mackie (1980) pls. 26, 27 & 23.
Another very rare type of tent girth was also
made which has knotted pile covering the entire
surface. Only five complete examples are known,
of which the lot offered here is one. A number of
fragments also survive. All are Turkish knotted
and have stylistic details which suggest Yomud
workmanship. This one has wefts with one strand
of cotton and one of wool plied together, two
shoots per row. For information on whereabouts of
all-pile girths see: Hali 30, p. 3, and Hali 55,
p. 166. The Textile Museum's all-pile girth is
published in Thompson and Mackie (1980) pp.
52-55.
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