On the last Sunday of May, the Day of the Turkmen Carpet is widely celebrated in our country. Mass festive events are held in the capital and in all velayats, where skillful craftswomen, successors of the best traditions of Turkmen carpet weaving, are honoured.
Creating a carpet is a laborious and long process. However, each carpet masterpiece is worth the time and effort. Indeed, passing through the years and centuries, the Turkmen carpet remains an invaluable heritage of ancestors, a historical source for the study of carpet craft and decorative art.
The phenomenon of Turkmen carpets is considered in detail in the literary works of the Hero-Arkadag. The books «Living Legend», «Heavenly Beauty» present a special look at Turkmen carpet weaving as a high art and the richest layer of spiritual and material culture. Largely due to these works and scientific research of the author, the national carpet weaving was included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
At present, not only in Turkmenistan, but also in other countries of the world, one can find unique copies of ancient carpet products created by the hands of Turkmen carpet weavers.
From time immemorial, carpet has been a symbol of home, harmony, beauty and peace for Turkmens. As folk wisdom says: «Water is the life of a Turkmen, a horse is the wings of a Turkmen, a carpet is the soul of a Turkmen». Is it not for this reason that Turkmen dzhigits decorated and continue to decorate their horses with carpet products.
Carpet accessories of horses certainly included a national ornament. As in the case of natural carpets, the patterns of horse capes had separate names and semantic meanings.
The richest collection of ancient carpet products intended for Ahal-Teke horses - blankets, sweatshirts, capes for saddles and girths are carefully stored in the State Museum of the State Cultural Centre of Turkmenistan.
In the halls of the ethnographic exposition there are capes-clothes of the beginning of the 20th century «at ýapynja», used by riders on special festive occasions. Also, Turkmen carpet weavers made «haly eýerlik» - carpet products with a fringe in the form of a five- or hexagon with a slot for a saddle.
You can admire the most unique examples of carpet creations in
National Museum of Turkmen Carpet. The museum has about 2000 exhibits, including the most famous ones. Among them is the largest handmade carpet with a total area of 301 m2, woven in 2001. In 2003, this giant carpet was included in the Guinness Book of Records.
It is endless to talk about the incredible beauty of Turkmen carpets. But it is better to see once than to hear a hundred times. The impression of one of the man-made wonders of the world will be unforgettable.
