Posted by J. Barry O'Connell Jr. on November 23, 1998 at 07:08:38:
In Reply to: Prayer rug, cradle rug, or what? posted by Steve Price on November 22, 1998 at 06:58:09:
I bought a piece this shape that was passed off to me as a war rug saddle. You may remember the piece Steve since you were with me when I bought it. The more I looked at it the more sure I was that it was neither a war rug nor a saddle. I reviewed much of the same literature that Wendell has gathered together, of course Wendell in his thorough manner found some I over looked. Then one day a possible use occurred to me. I think a possible use is as infant's outerwear. Turkmen live in areas that get rather cold and on occasion it musty be necessary to take a baby out side. Of course not ever trip would involve such a grand accouterment but as special occasion use it is possible. If one were to wrap an infant in their normal wrappings then lay the infant with the head at the point then one would fold the bottom up over the child's legs and then wrap over one side and then the other. Once wrapped the entire bundle would be tied with a strap.
This is similar to what Price mentions with a cradle rug but if we assume that it is only for cold weather use outdoors then this piece becomes more plausible considering how it's physical characteristics. It seems to me that there is a miniature in the Metropolitan that show a Turkoman child wrapped in this manner but I will have to consult my notes to see if I can track down that picture. I just thought I would suggest this as another possibility.
Best wishes
J. Barry O'Connell Jr.
http://earth.oconnell.net/rugnotes/wwwboard/