371. A very special Antique Turkoman Hatchlu or Ensi

371. Provenance: Tekke, Turkoman tribes, Northern Afghanistan

Size: 210 x 144 cm

Age: circa 1920

Condition: For the most part, very good for its age, but it does have some small spots of old moth damage.

Notes: 'Ensi or Engsi' means 'door curtain' in the language of the Turkomans. It is unsure where the cruciform design developed, but it may have been influenced by Imperial Russia's Christian crosses. This is a very traditional design though it is unlikely that this particular piece would actually have been a door curtain as it is a larger format. Great, glossy wool and natural dyes, especially madder root.