Turkmen ensi

An ensi is a type of Turkmen rug woven specifically as a door flap for a yurt. The cruciform field design is thought to derive from wooden Central Asian doors. Because of the inclusion of a directional niche, woven at the top of these pieces, ensis are sometimes wrongly attributed as prayer rugs. This ensi, while still antique, represents a later phase of traditional Turkmen weaving. It is smaller than many, but retains much of the iconic features of drawing. Interestingly, while most Tekke Turkmen pieces were woven within the borders of what is now the nation of Turkmenistan, this piece was most likely woven in a Turkmen ethnic enclave in neighboring Northeast Persia.

Collection of Dr. and Mrs. William T. Price