Eastern Turkestan is the home to an ancient and influential Turkic tribe known as the Uighurs. The Uighurs, have long been associated with artwork, metal smithing, jade carving, pile weaving, diplomacy and education. Uighurs may have been the first Turkic tribe to develop literature. During the reign of Genghis Khan, Uighur script was made the official language of the Mongol empire.

Uighur pile carpets are renowned for the blending of influences. Uighur cities were stops on the Silk Road, connecting the trading centers of Asia with the cities of Bokhara and Samarkand, so the rugs combine influences from Chinese and Turkmen design sources. The colors are typically very bright and contrasting, yet achieve a strange harmony. Yellow, purple, orange, red, and green can be seen in a typical rug. Other Khotans feature ultra minimalist color schemes, probably meant for Chinese markets.

Cites of Uighur rug production are Khotan, Kashgar, and Yarkand.

East Turkestan