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Stephen,a couple of questions
and comments raised by your introduction to this interesting
(though largely speculative) topic: 1. Do you have any reason
to doubt the use of the kapunuk as a tent-door surround? I
haven't been around camels a lot, but it seeems to me that
both in size and shape the kapunuk does not seem terribly
suitable as a camel decoration. 2. There is the question of
brides producing their best weavings for dowry pieces to
impress the groom (or, more likely, his mother). I have been
thinking that, on the contrary, the brides were rather young
girls with as yet little weaving experience. Perhaps this is
why pieces such as kapunuks and asmalyks are often very
sloppily woven? I think there is no pattern more generally
mutilated than the ashik grid on asmalyks. Finally, I'd like
to bring up the actual illustrations of the wedding caravans
that have been woven into some (presumably) dowry pieces (or,
perhaps, they are produced later, by the equivalent of the
wedding photographer?). The asmalyks with wedding caravans are
well known, but here is a particularly charming example from a
Yomud tent band sold at Sotheby's NY, 4/13/95, lot 17. Note that the lead camel (not the one with
the kejebe!) has a rectangular decoration on its flank. The
cutest element in the picture is the little upside-down camel
that seems to be falling out of the lead camel. Any ideas what
this may signify? Fertility for the bride, perhaps? Regards,
Yon
Date: 02-13-2000 on 10:18
a.m.
Stephen+Louw
2. RE:Turkoman
weddings
Thanks for your comments Yon.
I agree that the subject matter is largely speculative,
although I think that it is possible to make a few reasonably
convincing hypotheses about the purpose and possible function
of wedding-related weavings. In answer to each of your
questions: 1) Personally, I suspect that kapunuks had nothing
at all to do with the actual wedding ceremony, and believe
that they are indeed likely to have served simply as door
surrounds, although probably for special occasions rather than
day to day use. Many kapunuks, including the Ersari piece
illustrated here, have tears on the insides of each arm, which
is consistent with this usage. I simply referred to Moskova's
intriguing comments (discussed in Mackie/Thompson, Turkmen,
pp.112-13) that khalyk’s were used to decorate the front of a
camel, their tassels reaching down to the animals feet. As a
khalyk cannot reach this far, this has caused some speculation
that Moskova referred here to what we call a kapunuk. This
would indeed be consistent with a camel decoration, wrapping
around the front with each arm hanging down the side of each
front leg. As I said, I doubt this explanation myself,
although I think it is likely (and here I am simply
speculating) that weavings like kapunuks would be used for a
variety of special occasions, of which the wedding festival is
one. This of course is akin to "Westerners" taking out their
best silver for analogous events, and can hardly be seen as an
integral component of a wedding. 2) Personally, I agree
completely that the idea that young girls made their best
pieces to impress the groom and his family is complicated by
the age of the girl. I do not know of any figures for Central
Asia, but following Helfgott’s study of Iran, the girls in
question would have been in their early teens and certainly
under eighteen in most cases. They are thus hardly likely to
produce masterpieces like the Saryk kapunuk illustrated. I do
however think that that there is a lot in the argument that,
with the growing commercialisation of Turkmen society, the
ability to weave was an important economic asset, which a
girl’s family would be eager to demonstrate. 3) Finally, the
upside-down camel falling out of the lead camel on the tent
band which you illustrate is without doubt the cutest “story”
I have ever seen on any weaving. In the context, it would not
be a stretch to link it to fertility. Thanks very much for
sharing it with us. Regards Stephen
Date: 02-13-2000 on 06:23
p.m.
Marvin Amstey
3. RE:Turkoman
weddings
mamstey1@rochester.rr.com Not
just fertility; the camel gave birth during the trek - slowing
the procession and presumably the wedding! If the camel was
part of the dowry, the groom may have lost a possession since
the camel was no longer pregnant when it arrived. This is an
obstetrician viewpoint. On a more serious note: there is
references in some literature and comment from some dealers
(M. Francis comes to mind) that camel hangings, "asmalyks",
were also rectangular. In particualar, the large rectangular
Tekke embroideries were called "asmalyks". Regards,
Marvin
Date: 02-14-2000 on 09:01
a.m.
Jerry Silverman
4. RE:Turkoman
weddings
For those with access to it, I
recommend "Caravans to Tartary" by Roland and Sabrina Michaud,
Thames and Hudson, 1985, paperback. It is a book in the
tradition of the travel literature of the Victorian era - but
with color photos. In it there is a frustratingly brief
description of a modern Turkmen wedding which seems not to
have changed much since the 100-year earlier ones being
discussed here. There are pictures of a wedding party and a
bride in her kejebe on a camel. The rugs and bags on the camel
are all modern production. No asmalyks or khalyks...just
torbas and chuvals of the kind we're used to seeing from
pre-1980 Afghanistan. -Jerry-
