Antique Pair Turkoman Tekke Tribal Kilim Chuvals #1. Circa 1910.

Antique Pair Turkoman Tekke Tribal Kilim Chuvals. Circa 1910. Superb matching pair, in full bag form (each open / unstiched), and finely woven with 36 gul decoration.

A Turkmen chuval is an antique, hand-woven storage bag, typically created by Central Asian nomadic tribes (Tekke, Yomut, Ersari) to transport belongings, often serving as decorative camel trappings during wedding processions.

Each Turkmen tribe has its own specific gul. The Tekke gul is characterized by its refined symmetry and disciplined grid organization, as represented this pair of Chuvals.

The Turkoman Tekke Tribal Kilim (also known as a Palas) is a flat-woven textile produced by the Tekke tribe, historically the most influential nomadic group in Turkmenistan and parts of Afghanistan and Iran. Unlike hand-knotted "pile" rugs, kilims are flat-woven, making them lighter, reversible, and more versatile for nomadic life.

Condition: Good original condition (open bag form / unstiched). Rich madder red faces in only semi-faded condition. Sharply woven guls and geometric shapes. Edges a little frayed, but no holes.

#1:
Height = 80 cm

Width = 125 cm

#2:
Height = 79 cm

Width = 128 cm

*Key Characteristics / Technique - Hand-woven using a flatweave or tapestry technique (no knots), (often on horizontal looms):

Design Motifs: The most iconic feature is the Tekke Gul, an octagonal, stylized medallion often referred to as an "elephant foot". In kilims, these guls are rendered with sharper, more geometric lines than in pile rugs.

Colour Palette: Typically dominated by deep madder reds, reddish-browns, and mahogany, with highlights in ivory, indigo blue, and charcoal.

Material: Traditionally 100% hand-spun wool from local sheep, sometimes incorporating small highlights of silk in antique pieces.