668. a noble antique Afghan Hatchlu or Ensi rug

668. Provenance: Kizilayak tribe, Turkoman group of tribes, northern Afghanistan

Size: 235 x 125 cm

Age: Circa 1910

Condition: Mostly good, but with overall low pile to the field.

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, although it is more likely that it merely represents the typical cruciform shape in a wooden door. The original, somewhat smaller hatchlus would have hung at the entrance of the tribal yurt or tent, and would unlikely have been used anywhere else. This piece, which is Ersari or possibly Kizilayak, would have been woven for floor or wall use.