Tornado Alley (PROG)

[StephanieVanbryce]

Felt tents are the portable homes of many of the pastoralists in Central Asia. Reed mats and heavy woolen felts are tied onto a circular, wooden lattice framework. Most of the traditional, standardized shapes for carpets woven by the tribes in these areas are designed for use in specific locations within. In the homes of the Turkomen tribes, for example, the Ensi (Hatchli or Pardah) was an outer cover for the doorway, the Germetch covered the outside bottom of the door, and the Khalyk hung inside the door. Juval, Torbah, and Mafrash were bags of specific sizes hanging from the interior frame for holding clothing and personal belongings. The deep red colors which are predominant in Turkomen rugs are a rich complement to the greens of spring.


Felt Tents

Samangan Province, Afghanistan, April 1975