Evidence suggests that the Turko-Mongolian people of central Asia have been weaving pile rugs for over 3000 years. Their traditional lands, known as Turkestan, stretched from the Caspian Sea to north eastern Central Asia.

The area of Western Turkestan, that stretches from North western Iran to Uzbekistan, and southeast into Afghanistan, is home to a number of Turkic nomadic and semi-nomadic people collectively known as the Turkmen.

The area of Western Turkestan, that stretches from North western Iran to Uzbekistan, and southeast into Afghanistan, is home to a number of Turkic nomadic and semi-nomadic people collectively known as the Turkmen.

Before Russian and Soviet occupation, most Turkmen identified themselves as members of various tribal confederations. They include the Tekke, the Ersari, the Yomud, the Chaudor (a Yomut sub-tribe), the Salor, the Saryk, and the Kyzil Azak (an Ersari sub-tribe).

Being Nomads, a vast amount of effort was put into the act of moving. Turkmen are famous for bags or all kinds. They had bags for luggage, tents (“chuvals”), and salt bags.

Most Turkmen weavings have similar yet distinctive motifs, which is the primary reason why Turkmen weaving have the most critical study dedicated to their correct categorization. Color-wise, they tend vary from red, to reddish/brown, to brown/purple, to merlot.

Notable cities of rug production in the region are the famous Silk Road city of Bokhara and the Amu Dayra river city of Beshir. Rugs of the Beshir region have a fanatical base of collectors.

West Turkestan