Since time immemorial the Kyrgyz have been covering their yurts with such felt carpets: soft, warm, and -- for the nomads of the central Asiatic steppe -- easy to transport on the backs of their camels! The present ‘shyrak' consists of tightly felted and dyed camel hair. The traditional curved designs of the Kyrgyz (as differentiated by floral, plant, and ram’s head motifs) are drawn on a surface made of felt, cut out, dyed, then sewn anew (now two-toned) and trimmed with an embroidered felt band. The entire piece is then padded underneath with thinner fabric. The present felt carpet boasts a large white central field with typical blazing red Kyrgyz patterns. This long white central field is framed by an all-round red band and divided in three equal parts by two red bands. Each of the three (newly formed) fields has a central red medallion which in turn is surrounded by 8 smaller red decorative motifs with beautiful volutes. The all-round border consists of felt from dark brown camel hair and is decoratively embroidered with red, white, yellow and light green woolen thread to form corresponding bands of typical Kyrgyz patterns. The padding underneath is made of visibly old pressed cotton fabric. In its felt surfaces the ‘skyrdak’ has only minor age-related damage. Only the outermost thin red finishing trim needs restoring in certain places. Overall a very impressive piece usable not only as carpet but also as a wall hanging. Dimensions: c. 300 cm x 135 cm; age: c. 1900 to first third of the 20th century. (ME)

Provenance:
Purchased by the consignor, an Austrian traveller, in the year 1994 in Kashgar, the municipal capital of the Uyghur autonomous region of the Xinjiang province in China.