introduction
Sometimes referred to as Turkmen rugs, Bukhara rugs are handmade rugs intended to be laid on the floor. The name Bukhara is the city in Turkestan where the carpets are known to come from. They were traditionally made by nomadic tribesmen in Central Asia before mass production began in Iran, India and Afghanistan.
Original Turkmen carpets were handmade from locally available materials such as herd wool, vegetable dyes and other natural dyes. Today, thanks to technology, these carpets are made commercially in Iran and Afghanistan from synthetic materials of various colors. These are mainly intended for export to other countries. However, it is very easy to distinguish a handmade rug from a machine-made rug.
The original bhokaras are classic pieces and have become very popular lately due to their unique design and attractiveness.
Characteristics
Traditionally, Bukhara rugs are deep red in color. They also feature octagonal designs of elephant feet. In contrast to the carpets, the designs are mostly kept in dark blue, brown or black. Being handmade by different tribes, authentic rugs feature different design forms. The basic material used to make these rugs is wool, which gives the rugs a soft and classic touch.
types
There are different types of carpets available. They include:
- Salor Bokharas – These are traditionally handcrafted by Salor tribesmen living north of Afghanistan. They are of very good quality and rare on the market. They are deep red and have octagons in two rows. Each large octagon also features a small octagon inside, with the outside of the large octagon being decorated with floral designs.
- Tekke Bokharas – These are the most popular of all Bukhara rugs. They are traditionally handcrafted by Tekke tribesmen. There are royal and praying Tekke Bokharas. Royal bokharas are generally red carpets. They feature rows of elongated octagons and diamond patterns that connect both vertically and horizontally. Prayer rugs, on the other hand, are used exclusively for performing prayers. They differ from royal carpets in that they have cross bars that divide the carpets into four sections.
- Yomut Bukharas – These are traditionally handcrafted by Yomut tribesmen across Central Asia. In addition to their deep red color, they are divided into four sections by a Greek cross. They are traditionally designed with small octagons in each of the four sections.
There are also other types of bokharas that are otherwise uncommon and unpopular. they include Beshir Bokharas with zig zag patterns on the edges and Pinde Bokharas with prayer niches.
