SHYRDAK CARPETS OF KIRGHIZSTAN

Kirghiz Felt Carpets are made in Kirghizstan a small independent republic south of Kazakhstan and West of China. The area is extremely mountainous, with 85% of the land at an altitude of 1,500 meters. Central Asian felt-making techniques and designs have remained little changed over millennia. Shyrdak or mosaic carpets are made almost entirely by women, usually as gifts, mainly for weddings.  They are traditionally hardly ever made for sale. The shyrdak - the word comes from the root “shyrda”, to join together - it is a mosaic felt, made from two pieces of felt of complementary colors. The pattern of one color fits exactly into the area cut out of the other. The result is a quality akin to a woven carpet. The outline of the mosaic is emphasized by a double embossing thread of a third color, chosen to bring out the other two colors.   The double thread is actually two hand spun threads, one “S” spun and the other “Z “spun, sewn together to give a chevron effect. The quilting is sewn onto the felt in parallel with the embossing, both to strengthen the fabric and to emphasize the pattern. All shyrdak are sewn onto a backing felt of all natural wool, and the embossing and quilting are sewn through both layers, providing further reinforcement. It usually takes at least one winter for a women to make a shyrdak with the help of family and friends, but one can last in use for at least 25 years. The making of a Kirghiz Shyrdak can be seen as a process of constant renewal and regeneration, in which ancient designs are used in a multilayered symbolic and yet personal way.

I am selling one of these wonderful carpets for $1,250 (US dollars).  This rare carpet measures 4’ 2” x 9’ , it is in excellent unused condition with the exception of several smaller than a dime areas of missing felt, which I'm sure could be easily repaired. I believe it was made in the 60’s. There is an interesting article in the July ‘97 issue of Hali magazine, about these carpets. It truly is an outstanding piece - Kirghiz aesthetic, vibrantly drawn with primitive yet timeless motifs which transcend the design pool of any specific tribal group.

Scott Robertson
pictures of carpet