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I am looking for pics of pile spindle bags. I have books with limited information and an internet search doesn’t show a lot of information. If you have pictures or info to share, please post it here. These bags are very interesting to me and I would like to learn more about them.
I have included a generic internet picture of one.
Just a few points. Ok-bash weren't spindle bags, they were covers for the ends of bundles of tent struts during migration. The bundles were strapped onto the sides of camels, and the tassels on the ends of the ok-bash helped prevent camels from hitting their eye on the struts in front of them. They are more properly called uuk-bash (= strut cap). The source of this is Peter Andrews, an anthropologist with a Yomud wife.
Chemche torba translates as spoon bag. Their shape makes them suitable for carrying almost anything long and slender, so there are other names for them as well.
Thank you Erik for posting and to you Steve for you wealth of knowledge.
Throughout the years, there has been a lot of misinformation concerning these bags and in many publications, they are often given improper names such as a Uk-bash being called a Igsalyk or a Igsalyk named as a Uk-bash or even being referred to as a mirror bag, a “Aina khalta”. I think a fair example I’ve seen in German publications are these bags simply referred to a “Yomud bag”. Nonetheless, I find them very interesting. I have seen one example that was called a Yomud Igsalyk but came from a Ersari tribe. It was speculated that the item was traded and the Ersari added their own little touches to the weaving.
Erik, your pieces are very nice and are in better condition than most. The Igsalyk looks older than the Uk Bash and although I feel it safe for one to say they are from 1920, I feel they appear older. Most of these are labeled as being from the last quarter of the 19th century. Your Isgsayk has the post Soviet invasion bow tie border which apparently means it was more than likely made after 1860-70. Irregardless of a date, your pieces are a stunning example of a lost era of weaving. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Steve and Joe, for clarifying the terminology and many other things to me! I have been a bit confused about the usage in rug literature of the terms igsalyk and ok-bash, which I believed were two words for the same thing. Fascinating explanation of the tassels! Thank you also for your kind words and thoughts about my Ebay finds!
Here are a few of mine. I can’t find my measuring tape but the sizes are consistent with examples published.
Concerning the flatweave pair of bags; I often wondered if these were not only used from the yurt struts, but also as a feed bag for the animals due to there size and the long straps.
The Igsalyk has a slipper on top for size compared. It’s a size EU 45 or US 11. The bottom of the Igsalyk confuses me as I have only seen them with tassels. It’s possible these were added later or it’s just unusual.
Concerning the flatweave pair of bags; I often wondered if these were not only used from the yurt struts, but also as a feed bag for the animals due to there size and the long straps.
I've seen them referred to as horse feedbags (at torba). Many years ago I wrote a brief article about these things in HALI. I noted that there are about as many names for them as there are published examples.
These interesting pictures of two Yomut igsalyks/chemche torbas with contents are found in Helmut Klieber: Turkestan, Landsberger Verlagsanstalt, 1991:
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