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Martin Andersen · March 22nd, 2018, 07:32 AM

Hi All

The photografer Paul Nadar was in Turkmenistan 1890 and he also took a few photos of Tekke (? not quite sure, but he was in Merv) yurts where there is no doubt door rugs are used, not filt or wooden doors. The door rugs here ain’t Ensis, i suppose it looks more like a flat weave type, unfortunately i don’t have the photos in higher resolution:

These yurts doesn't have the heavy wooden door frame and wooden doorstep of the later yurts on Prokudin-Gorsky's photos. In one of the yurts there is hanging a cord across the lower part of the doorway, perhaps functioning as a semi-barrier like a Germech would have, or perhaps it could even have carried a textile if tighten up:

I suppose that in 1890, ca 10 years after the final Russian annexation of Turkmenistan all the finer rugs are already either exported to Skt. Petersborg or on their way. No doubt that the Turkmen in 1890 were poor and on their way to losing their weaving tradition.
I think something like this is plausible: The Turkmens after their defeat being forced to a more sedentary lifestile, cheap building materials including wood coming in from north, making the wooden yurt door more common and perhaps even fashionable and desirable among the Turkmens, and the old rugs disappearing, including Ensis and Germechs.

Paul Nadar also have a few fine photos of how carpet dealing happened directly along the railway track:

best
Martin

March 22nd, 2018, 07:32 AM	#21
Martin Andersen Members Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 121	Hi All The photografer Paul Nadar was in Turkmenistan 1890 and he also took a few photos of Tekke (? not quite sure, but he was in Merv) yurts where there is no doubt door rugs are used, not filt or wooden doors. The door rugs here ain’t Ensis, i suppose it looks more like a flat weave type, unfortunately i don’t have the photos in higher resolution: These yurts doesn't have the heavy wooden door frame and wooden doorstep of the later yurts on Prokudin-Gorsky's photos. In one of the yurts there is hanging a cord across the lower part of the doorway, perhaps functioning as a semi-barrier like a Germech would have, or perhaps it could even have carried a textile if tighten up: I suppose that in 1890, ca 10 years after the final Russian annexation of Turkmenistan all the finer rugs are already either exported to Skt. Petersborg or on their way. No doubt that the Turkmen in 1890 were poor and on their way to losing their weaving tradition. I think something like this is plausible: The Turkmens after their defeat being forced to a more sedentary lifestile, cheap building materials including wood coming in from north, making the wooden yurt door more common and perhaps even fashionable and desirable among the Turkmens, and the old rugs disappearing, including Ensis and Germechs. Paul Nadar also have a few fine photos of how carpet dealing happened directly along the railway track: best Martin Last edited by Martin Andersen; March 22nd, 2018 at 09:14 AM. Reason: (sorry for my broken english, as times goes even my danish is becoming broken)