Posted by Patrick Weiler on May 06, 1999 at 08:17:33:
The Turkmen weavings developed in an area that was rather difficult to access. It was not until the railroad arrived that weavings in any quantity were able to be sold on a large commercial basis beyond the regional markets. Darwin discovered quite a few considerably unique species that evolved, separately from their ancestors, on isolated islands. They evolved to take advantage of their local environment, to fit a niche. Interaction affects the designs and even types of weavings due to dilution of the design pool and altered market demand.
The Navaho wove blankets until market demand required them to weave rugs.
Patrick Weiler