Arabachi

Arabachi rugs were produced by a tribe which was relatively small and often on the move through the Kara Kum desert. They were conservative in their use of design ornamentation and their rugs are often thought of an substandard when compared to the other Turkmen weaving tribes. They have certain technical features in common: depressed waprs; asymmetric knots open to the left; 2 weft strands: a fairly loose weave; long pile in soft lustrous wool; a dark brown purple field; a preference for very dark blue and small amounts of yellow and the use of pink wool and silk. This article relates the history of these rugs and argues that these rugs are indeed of exceptional quality and possess an often unique character.