Central Asia, Turkmenistan region, Turkmen culture, Tekke peoples, ca. 1900s CE. A handmade mantle known as a chyrpy, a traditional garment worn by brides and women, comprised of pieced cotton and silk textiles, hand-embroidered with silk thread chain stiches and lacing /ladder stiches known as kesdi. Worn during ceremonies and special events, the chyrpy would cover the head (over a hat) and shoulders, the vestigial sleeves are merely decorative panels, joined in the back with a band. The chyrpy's color indicated the wearer's age, this dark blue-black ground indicates a young and unmarried woman. Note the intricate motifs, abstract tulips of fertility and abundance and geometric tree-of-life and rams' horn motifs worked in characteristic Turkmen red, yellow, white and dark brown silk, trimmed in a lengthy fringe. Size: 51" L x 33" W (129.5 cm x 83.8 cm)

The nomadic Turkmen of Central Asia are renowned for their technically skilled and visually dramatic textiles and jewelry. The Tekkes were one of these tribes, primarily in southern Turkmenistan. Clothing and adornments were exceptionally important for women to communicate their social and marital status, as well as age and tribe. Some textiles acted as a dowry piece and were painstakingly stitched - demonstrating skill of the maker and the elaborate embroidery symbols acted as talismans, protecting the wearer from harm.

Provenance: private Rathdrum, Idaho, USA collection

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#180820

Minor fraying to threads, a few tears to bands on sleeves. Tears to interior cotton liner. Overall great condition.