Kazakh Carpet
| Kazakh Carpet | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Name | Kazakh Carpet |
| Original name | فرش قزاقزستان، قالی قزاقستان |
| Alternative name(s) | Kazakh Rug |
| Origin |  Kazakhstan |
| Technical information | |
| Common designs | Geometric |
| Common colors | Red, Blue, Green, Brown, Black |
| Pile material | Wool |
| Foundation material | Wool, Cotton |
| Knot type | Symmetrical (Turkish), Asymmetrical (Persian) |
Kazakh Carpet or Kazakh Rug is one of the eastern rugs that woven in Kazakhstan.
A Turkic people primarily inhabiting Kazakhstan (the Kazakh[1] Republic of southern Russia), with scattered groups in Afghanistan and Central Asia. Older rugs attributed to the Kazakhs are in red and black with yellow highlights and are all wool. In these rugs, edge knots are symmetric, while ground knots are asymmetric. Geometric designs are used. The Kazakhs produce elaborate embroidery. They make screens of parallel reeds sewn together with which they surround the interiors of their yurts. The reeds are wrapped with threads to produce geometric designs similar to those of their rugs. Contemporary rugs are woven with either the symmetric or asymmetric knots. Contemporary factory rugs from the Kazakh Republic are woven on a cotton foundation. The Kazakhs make felt pieces with complex designs of inlaid and appliquéd felt.[2]
History
Kazakhstan is an independent republic located in Central Asia. It was once part of the historic East Turkestan region. For centuries the Kazakh territory was ruled by khans, who controlled and partitioned the land into three regions known as Little Horde in the west, Middle Horde in the east, and Great Horde in the south. The Kazakh people are a Turkic ethnic group; some continue to live as seminomads working in agriculture, raising livestock, and herding sheep. Kazakh rugs have a similar style and coloration to those made in the neighboring region of Kyrgyzstan. They are mostly marketed as Kyrgyz rugs in the trade.
Kazakh rugs are known in the market from the late nineteenth century. The pile rugs usually have a wool foundation and a wool pile, but cotton is also chosen for the weft. The Turkish (symmetric) knot is used in weaving. Flatwoven Kilim rugs and Felt Carpets are also made.
Kazakh weavings are geometric and are influenced by designs seen in Kyrgyz Rugs, Turkmen Rugs, Uzbek Rugs, and other rugs woven by tribes situated in the greater Turkestan region. Gul (flower), Hook, Star, flower head, and other nomadic motifs are used in pile, flatwoven, and felt rugs. The borders are generally narrow, with one or two minor borders framing the rugs. Diagonal or horizontal stripes, S motifs, or other tribal ornaments decorate the border area.
Kazakh rugs are bold in coloration, with mainly reds or browns for the background. In addition to these colors, different shades of blue, saffron, and green are employed for the design elements and borders. Dark brown or black is standard for design outlines.
Kazakh weavers made many types of day-to-day tribal items, including bags, tent hangings, and animal trappings. Formats range from small bags to gallery sizes approximately ten feet by five feet, and the weave is generally medium to good in grade quality.[3]
References
Bibliography
- Abraham Levi Moheban. 2015. The Encyclopedia of Antique Carpets: Twenty-Five Centuries of Weaving. NewYork: Princeton Architectural Press.
- Peter F. Stone. 2013. Oriental Rugs: An Illustrated Lexicon of Motifs, Materials, and Origins. North Clarendon: Tuttle.