Turkmenistan · Weaving / Carpet
Эрсары халы (Ersary haly)
The Ersari carpet (Эрсары халы) is the carpet tradition of the Ersari tribe — the largest Turkmen tribal group, settled along the Amu Darya river in Lebap Province in northeastern Turkmenistan and in northern Afghanistan. Ersari carpets are distinguished by a more diverse color palette than Tekke or Yomut — incorporating white, yellow, and green alongside the red and dark blue of the other tribes. The defining technical knowledge is the color transition management: Ersari pile carpet uses diagonal color shading within individual motifs — a technique called abrash (color wash) where the same yarn is used at slightly different dye concentrations to produce a subtle color gradient. 'I use the same red but I know which red is the morning and which is the evening.'
Risk level: Endangered · Component of UNESCO Turkmen carpet weaving inscription (2019)
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