675. a sumptuous antique Afghan hatchlu or ensi

675. Provenance: Ersari or Kizilayak tribe, Turkoman, Northern Afghanistan

Size: 200 x 143 cm

Age: Circa 1920

Condition: Mostly very good for age.

Notes: 'Ensi or Engsi' means 'door curtain' in the language of the Turkomans. It is unsure where the cruciform design developed, but it may have been influenced by Imperial Russia's Christian crosses, although it is more likely that it merely represents the typical cruciform shape in a wooden door. Originally they would have hung at the entrance of the tribal yurt or tent, and would unlikely have been used anywhere else, although this example, being somewhat larger would have been woven for floor or wall use. Soft mountain hand-spun wool and natural dyes, including madder and walnut. The touches of yellow hint at a Kizilayak origin.