Early Tekke Animal Tree Engsi

Early Tekke Animal Tree Engsi.

Rare engsi (tent door rug) of exceptional colour and clarity of design made by a member of the Tekke tribe in Turkmenistan in the early 19th century.

Five rows of field ornaments form the lower field, seven rows constitute the upper field. Each row is populated by alternating one and two ornaments which are clearly derived from bird head motifs called kutch. The vertical poles separating the two left- and right-hand sections of the field and the horizontal panel separating the upper and lower sections are decorated in a curled-leaf design. The panel above the elem contains the defining element of this engsi: the pairs of animals facing each other from either side of a tree  - hence the term animal tree engsi. The outer border is typical of any Tekke engsi. The main border is a meander over three parallel bars which, according to Pinner and Franses (in: Turkoman Studies I. Aspects of the weaving and decorative arts of Central Asia. London, Oguz Press, 1980, p. 140), is typical of animal tree  engsis. Inside this main border is another border with a double-cross design, which again is not uncommon in Tekke engsis generally. 

A similar, if somewhat more sombre, example of this sub group of engsis is published in 7. ICOC (ed), Wie Blumen in der Wüste. Die Kultur der turkmenischen Nomadenstämme Zentralasiens. Begleitkatalog zur Ausstellung im Hamburgischen Museum für Voelkerkunde. Hamburg, 1993, no. 22, p. 49.

Wool on a wool foundation. Minor repair, overall excellent condition with beautifully lustrous wool

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This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance

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