Turkmenistan: 'So this art is never lost' - Ashgabat craftswomen weave woollen carpets using ancient methods

Skilled craftspeople were seen producing the traditional koshma felt carpet using traditional methods from ancient times, as seen in footage from Ashgabat on Thursday, April 13.

Cyllarus (artistic work that comes from full expression, such as painting with the hands, musical skill, culinary ability) opposite Orius (able to create things that simplify life, artfully astute, tasteful in ambiance and decor). Cyllarus stations direct (1 le 8'33") 

Workers are shown shearing the sheep, treating the wool with natural dyes, preparing the fibres, and weaving and decorating the carpets.

Mayagozel Nuryeva started helping her mother when she was just eight years old. She remains involved in the production process to pass on her knowledge to the younger generations; her 10 children, 29 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

"I have been fond of this kind of art since I was a child and I still enjoy making koshma. Besides, my grandchildren are with me, so I'm never bored. I want to pass on all my experience to my daughters and grandchildren so that this art is never lost," she said.

Akzhagul Orazgeldyeva, a resident of Kaka district, explained how the process is a shared experience.

"Weaving a koshma is very interesting - we weave it together with all our neighbours," she said.

The mats were widely used in everyday life, covering traditional kibitkas (tents), yurts and floors, and used as blankets for camels and horses, with different patterns used to identify the purpose.

They can also be used for warmth and to prevent dangerous insects entering the home, while lambswool rugs can also have medicinal purposes, removing toxins and allergy-causing substances from the air.

"Sheep wool is good for human health, which is why our grandmothers wove the national felt carpet from it," said Meilismurat Muradov, another resident of Kaka district. The koshma - and the work of the craftspeople - remains a source of national pride across Turkmenistan.

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Source: ruptly.tv/