Thread & Ornament: Turkmen Textiles and Jewelry

By Anushka Hosain
Curatorial Assistant, Art of the Islamic Worlds

The Turkmen peoples long traversed the steppes of Central Asia, trading goods and connecting cities and empires. As nomads seeking fresh pastures for their herds, they were a thread that stitched together the carpet of Central Asia. For such peoples, portability was of the essence. Art and wealth were often one and the same, and had to be either worn or carried. Some fine examples of the jewelry and textiles that make up the rich, moveable world of the Turkmen are on display at The Hossein Afshar Galleries for the Art of the Islamic Worlds at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston from August 2024 to June 2025. These works have been generously gifted and loaned by supporters of the MFAH Art of the Islamic Worlds Dr. Bruce Baganz, Louise Nasr, and Roger S. Pratt.

Installation of Turkmen Jewelry and Textiles, on view at The Hossein Afshar Galleries for the Art of the Islamic Worlds, MFAH, August 2024-July 2025. Photography © MFAH; Will Michels, photographer.

Comprising numerous social groupings and confederations, the Turkmen are peoples whose language belongs to the Oghuz branch of the Turkic language family. Today they are mainly settled in Turkmenistan, but also found across Central and West Asia. Historically, they cooperated with, but yet were largely resistant to control by, the major powers around them. As superb horsemen and warriors, they were frequently part of confederations that toppled moribund kingdoms and raised new ones. As Islam spread into the region in the late first millennium, the Turkmen converted whilst retaining many of their pre-Islamic beliefs, which they admixed with the new religion. The confluence of these ancient protective symbols and associations with motifs seen across the Islamicate worlds is apparent in the patterns that cover their textiles and jewelry. Inspiration also comes from their surroundings – for instance, the tulips that carpet the steppes bloom across their textiles.

Camel Trapping (Asmalyk), Central Asia or Iran, Tekke, c. 1800, Wool; embroidered, Textile Collection of Bruce P. and Olive W. Baganz. Photography © MFAH; Will Michels, photographer.

Most of the works on display in the Art of the Islamic Worlds galleries were either made by or for women. The textiles, including the asmalyks, or camel trappings for the bridal litter, the bohças, or covers for precious items, as well as the purses, would have been sewn by a young woman and her female relatives in preparation for her wedding. Decorated with motifs symbolizing fertility and prosperity, the works presented the woman’s skills and the income she would bring to her husband’s family by producing works for the market.

Like other Turkic peoples, the Turkmen used color, design, and forms of adornment to indicate a person’s social status. Characteristic of the Tekke Turkmen group is the chyrpy, a ceremonial mantle worn draped over the head. The sleeves are decorative and joined at the back by a fringed or embroidered panel. White silk chyrpys like the one displayed in the gallery are rare survivals. White was reserved for matriarchs; unmarried women and married women wore dark blue and yellow, respectively. The natural dyes remain vibrant: the rich crimson of the embroidered tulips and floral motifs on the chyrpy below was likely produced from madder root or the lac insect; the deep blues on the other textiles are from the indigo plant. In the 19th century, the Turkmen also began using Mexican cochineal imported via the Ottoman Empire.

Woman’s Robe (Chyrpy), Central Asia or Iran, Tekke, 19th century, Silk; embroidered, Textile Collection of Bruce P. and Olive W. Baganz. Photography © MFAH; Will Michels, photographer.

“She is a strange and dazzling apparition, this young woman who advances – a veritable sun, a holy reliquary embodying the splendor of her heritage...”

For the Turkmen, textiles and jewelry were not merely objects, but were imbued with power, which was transmitted through materials, patterns, and more. Silver jewelry was thought to enhance fertility, and so younger women wore more jewelry than older women. In describing a Turkmen bride, the French anthropologist Bernard Dupaigne writes: “She is a strange and dazzling apparition, this young woman who advances – a veritable sun, a holy reliquary embodying the splendor of her heritage…” In their gleaming silver jewelry like shimmering armor, Turkmen women were resplendent. It was not only the eye upon which their jewelry impressed, but the ear, the hand, and the other senses as well. Dangling chains and tinkling bells sounded musically; robes and mantles swirled around the body. The gilded, carnelian-studded headband and dangling temple ornaments affixed to the red hat in the center of the case below, one part of a young woman’s elaborate bridal costume, would have mirrored a bride’s graceful movements. When looking at jewelry and textiles in the museum, the viewer’s imagination must come into play to see these objects in motion.

L-R: Double Cordiform Pendant (Ashik), Headband on Hat with Temple Pendants, Coat Clasp, Amulet Holder (Tumar), all Roger S. Pratt Collection. Photography © MFAH; Will Michels, photographer.

A distinctly Turkmen jewelry form is the tumar, a triangular amulet holder. While this type of amulet holder was worn by women, there were other forms made for men and children. Amulets and amulet holders are found across cultures, from ancient societies to the present day, and throughout Islamicate cultures. As apotropaic devices, amulets protect the wearer against misfortunate, illness, and the negative wishes of others. An amulet’s power comes from the materials of which it is made, as well as its colors, decorations, and inscriptions. The tumar displayed at the bottom right of the case pictured above has a cylinder that opens at one end, into which is inserted a small scroll or a piece of paper with prayers or Qur’anic phrases. Small amuletic objects, such as coins or stones, could also be placed within.

This amulet holder’s apotropaic nature was enhanced by its decoration. The triangular shapes of the top part of the amulet may represent mountains, which can have divine significance in Turkmen culture. The tumar is topped by ram’s head finials, a design that occurs across Turkmen objects. Mountain rams are sacred and their horns were often used in rituals. Further strengthening its power are the carnelians that are found on almost all Turkmen jewelry. A orange-reddish semiprecious stone from the mineral chalcedony, carnelians are known for their durability and toughness. With the symbolic association of protecting its wearer from illness and death, it has been widely used in amulets and seals since antiquity.[i] Carnelians and other precious stones could be inscribed to serve a further talismanic purpose. The large pectoral ornament displayed in the center of the case below is engraved with the epithets of Allah, adding to its power.

In December 2024, the Art of the Islamic Worlds’ Turkmen display will be expanded with new textiles, including a Tekke wedding carpet and yellow and blue chyrpys, and additional pieces of jewelry: an acarbag necklace, sacbagy hair ornament, kümush-doga amulet holder, an ashik pendant, and a dagdan pendant. The installation will be on view through June 2025.

Thread & Ornament: Turkmen Textiles and Jewelry

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