Antique Lakai Hanging (Ilgich)

Antique Lakai hanging, or ilgich,  dating to the early 20th century. The silk embroidery on a cotton ground has the original silk backing.

The Lakai were a steppe tribe concentrated mainly on the northern bank of the Amu Darya River in what is now southeastern Uzbekistan and southern Tajikistan.

These embroideries must be seen in the context of the yurt: they were used to decorate the stack of bedding but also to decorate the lattice of the walls and, in the case of larger textiles, as "room dividers". They also provided an additional source of income or were used in bartering.

Lakai embroideries are most commonly on a red background. The piece in hand is a typical example: almost completely square in size, the bold colours and designs speak of a proud tradition. The embroidery is worked in chain stitch for the outlines and in slanted buttonhole stitch for the areas.

The design of this torba ilgich follows a familiar format: a central circle is surrounded by four further elements. Plant structures form the diagonals from the centre into the corners. A green border with a very simple repeat of stylized plants (?) encloses the field on three sides, and tassels surround the whole textile. These ilgich served a purely decorative purpose inside the yurt.

The embroidery is in very good condition; some old repairs to the backing.

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This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance

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