2008.116.1

Collection type

Object

Description

Triangular felt Yurt amulet. [FC 02/12/2009]

Long description

Triangular felt Yurt amulet. The front of the amulet is made from brown felt decorated with horn and solar motifs stitched to the felt with red, white and orange woollen yarn, looking like two eyes in a face. Attached to a loop made from orange woollen yarn at the top of the amulet are two lengths of plaited orange, red, black and white woollen yarn secured with a knot at the end, approximately 310 mm long, presumably to hang the amulet by. The back of the amulet is covered with a triangular piece of white cotton textile, stitched to the brown felt of the other side of the amulet with red woollen yarn and blue cotton yarn. the triangle has been stuffed with some soft padded material. Attached to the bottom length of the triangle is a length of blue woven cotton textile decorated with a red horizontal stripe approximately 5 mm wide. At the bottom of this length of blue woven cotton textile is fringing in the same textile. On the front of the amulet three tassels have been stitched to the bottom edge of the triangle. Two of the tassels are made from red, black, white and orange woollen yarn and the central tassel is made from maroon cotton yarn. [FC 02/12/2009]

Geographical reference

Turkmenistan

Asia > Central Asia > Turkmenistan

Ahal Province Ashgabat

Cultural groups

Teke

Person

Field collector Sheila Rosemary Paine

PRM source Julia Nicholson

PRM source Pitt Rivers Museum

PRM source Dreweatts Auctioneers

PRM source Felicity Wood

Date / Period

Date made: Before 08/1994

Date collected

August 1994

Acquisition information

Purchased: 2008

Materials and processes

Material Cotton Seed Fibre Textile Plant, Material Cotton Seed Fibre Yarn Plant, Material Wool Textile Animal, Material Felt Wool Textile Animal, Material Pigment, Process Stitched, Process Embroidered, Process Dyed, Process Plaited, Process Woven, Process Felted

Dimensions

Width: max 195 mm excluding fringing, Length: max 277 mm

Object numbers

Accession number: 2008.116.1 Other numbers: 128 105 SP As 72

Research and responses

Taken from the sales catalogue, information about the time Sheila Paine spent in Turkmenistan: "A few of my Turkmen embroideries were brought in Afghanistan in 1992. They are made by Turkmen living in both Turkmenistan itself and Afghanistan. I first went to Turkmenistan by train from Russia in 1994, a journey I described in the Golden Horde. Ashgabat (Ashkabad) was then as I described it in the book - an insignificant grid town rebuilt after the earthquake of 1948. In the ten years since, when I have taken a textile tour each year, it has grown into a ridiculous Disney town with massive and useless buildings (Arch of Neutrality, Hall of Independence), fountains that deprive whole quarters of the city of running water, gold statues, and blown-up photos of Niyazov Saparmurad (Turkmenbashi) on every building. His hair on these were first grey and then changed to black. he considered himself immortal but died in his 60s (in 2007?) I don't know what has happened to all the gold statues ad huge portraits since. When I first went to Turkmenistan, I met an actress Jahan, in Ashgabat, who took me to the Sunday market. At that time there were no tourists at all, whereas ten years later there were quite a lot., particularly French and Italian. Jahan was exiled soon after I met her because her company were putting on a Shakespearian play (I think King Lear) and Turkmenbashi wanted them to rewrite it so that he was the hero. They refused and were exiled, no one knows where to." [FC 02/12/2009]

Associated publications

Reproduced in Paine, S. (2004) Amulets: a world of Secret powers, charms and magic: With 431 illustrations, 404 in colour. London: Thames & Hudson (p.145) [NC 27/07/2016] Listed as Lot 128 in the sales catalogue The Sheila Paine Embroidery Collection Tuesday 22nd April 2008, Drewetts Auctioneers, Donnington Priory Salerooms: "A triangular felt Yurt amulet, with horn and solar motif, like eyes in a face, (As-72a). Most of the embroideries 'I brought in Turkmenistan come from the Sunday market held in the desert outside Ashgabat, and most are from the Tekke tribe'. Bought Ashgabat market, 1994; a white cotton Yurt or house amulet, appliqued with sparkly synthetic fabrics, hung with rags and acrylic tassels, and edged with black and white wool braid, (As-211). Brought at Ashgabat National Museum, 2002; and two other amulets, (As-73, As-94). [FC 02/12/2009]

Search terms: Textile, Ornament, Religion, Amulet, Religious Object