More Palas Pictures

In our experience, the other postings are correct in
saying that there aren't too many of the older Turkmen
Palas' around.

However, here is an example:



Here are closeups showing the dark blue double-ramshorn
"guls" with a nice light-blue lattice work:





We believe the older surviving examples are more
likely to have the long kilim ends which often have
small triangular and other elements in them. Older examples are also more
likely to have a finer weave and a loose handle than contemporary ones:



These next examples were found "in-situ" in Karakalpakstan (western Uzbekistan) a little over 2 years ago and show good examples of their current use:



Palas' are clearly the most basic type of floor
covering to be found in this part of Central Asia and
hence the lack of older examples - they are simply
used to death.

Due to their generally very large size, they make good
first-layer floor coverings - with pile rugs either
going on top or on the walls.





We were told by our hosts that these examples were
family heirlooms, made by their mothers and
grandmothers. We saw one very fine example woven some
50 years ago that had silk highlights. These ethnic
Turkmen identify themselves tribally as "Ataturkmen"
and claimed to have no tradition of pile carpet weaving. In
addition to palas flatweaves, they also make
interesting felts for home:





and other use:



Many people still clearly make these themselves:



Phill Slattery and John McKane

Hi Phil and John

Thanks for the great photos and post. That kind of information is very hard to find except through people like yourselves, who have firsthand experience with the cultures that make and use these things.

Regards

Steve Price

The End of The Mystery...

Hi Phil, John, and All

Thanks for the most interesting and informative discussion of the topic at hand . I can rest easy now .

Steve had said earlier that

"One of the useful things that happens from time to time on open forums like this is that people find and report evidence from unexpected sources once an issue is brought to their attention. Illustrations in very old manuscripts and drawings, cave paintings, accounts of travelers, etc., often include relevant things that some readers know about and bring to the table".

How true .
I propose a toast, John and Phil, so two Fischer Amber, for everyone .

Dave

Yoruk palas?

Hi Phil, John, Everyone

It suddenly occured to me that this palas



is about the same dimension as the Yoruk brocade discussed in the "Hatch" Gul = Kochak? thread here on Turkotek.

Dave