Turkmenistan is known for its ancient tradition of carpet weaving that has been passed down through generations. Turkmen carpets are renowned for their deep red colors and traditional patterns called ghels that represent tribes and regions. The carpets are woven by women out of wool, cotton, and silk using horizontal looms. Turkmenistan is also known for keteni, a homespun silk used to make the beautiful dresses worn by Turkmen women on special occasions. The embroidery on these dresses uses unique patterns representing families. Traditional Turkmen arts also include felt making, jewelry, woodwork, ceramics, and silverwork.

2. Turkmenistan

3. Carpet-weaving
• One of the most ancient forms of
Turkmen applied art. Each woman was
taught this traditional art from the early
age. The magical beauty and longevity of
Turkmen rugs come from the traditions of
carpet-weaving, that reached high
perfectness and artistic expressiveness of
gel during the many centuries of its
existence.

4. Carpet-weaving
• Turkmen carpets are
legendary;
sumptuously woven of
wool, with its
distinctive palette of
deep reds patterned
with traditional ghels –
the symbolic motifs
and talismans of tribe
and region.

5. Carpet-weaving
• Turkmen carpets have been traditionally
woven out of wool, cotton, and silk by
women, using horizontal looms. The method
of weaving has been modernized, but the
beauty and quality of the fabrics remain.

6. • Turkmenistan is also the
source of keteni, a
homespun silk that is
used for the beautiful
dresses worn by Turkmen
women on special
occasions. The
embroidery uses
different patterns that
are as unique as a family
seal.

8. • The traditional arts include felt manufacture,
jewelry making, woodwork, ceramics, and
silverwork.

9. Kyrgyzstan
• Since olden times the Kyrgyz people have led the
life of nomadic herdsmen. A complementary
source of livelihood was hunting. The nomadic
way of life required portable dwellings - felt yurts
-as well as loose-styled clothing practical for
riding, and domestic articles made mainly of
wood and leather. A substantial part of the Kyrgyz
daily life was occupied by-home crafts,
particularly those connected with processing of
livestock breeding products (wool, leather,
rawhide, bone, gut string. horn, hoof, etc,).

10. • Kyrgyz women produce
a wide range of textiles,
mostly from the felt of
their sheep. Nowadays
ancient patterns are
adapted to the tourist
and export market, but
it is still a living tradition
and that all yurts and
most houses contain
hand-made carpets or
rugs called shirdaks.

11. • Large elaborately embroidered wall
hangings called Tush kyiz are traditionally
made in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, by
elder women to commemorate the
marriage of a son or daughter.

12. • Flat cushions called
xxx are usually made
in shadow-pairs. These
are seen on every
chair, padding the
seat.