Camel Trapping (Asmalyk)

19th century

Not on view

This type of embroidered camel trapping, called an asmalyk, was used in Turkoman wedding ceremonies, when the bride rides a richly adorned camel to her new home. The ornaments worn by the camel were woven by the bride, in order to demonstrate her sewing skills. These trappings were commonly woven in pile, although some were embroidered, as in this example, or created with felt appliquÃ©s. The most characteristic designs and colors are those that symbolize fertility, such as a lattice pattern called ahik, fashioned in red on a white ground. The main field of this five-sided panel consists of rows of hanging blossoms in red wool, punctuated by five columns of volute-shaped blossoms in pink silk. It is bordered with an alternating design of blossoms and quartered rosettes, with a surrounding band in blue and red flat weave.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

References

Title: Camel Trapping (Asmalyk)
Date: 19th century
Geography: Attributed to Turkmenistan
Medium: Wool; embroidered with silk
Dimensions: H. 26 3/4 in. (68 cm)
W. 57 1/2 in. (146.1 cm)
Classification: Textiles-Embroidered
Credit Line: Gift of Irma B. Wilkinson, in memory of Charles K. Wilkinson, 1989
Object Number: 1989.383
Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

More Artwork

In the same medium

From the same time and place

A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.

Robe (Chyrpy), Silk; embroidered in silk thread; cotton lining — Robe (Chyrpy)
first half 19th century or earlier

Robe, Silk, cotton, metal wrapped thread; embroidered — Robe
last quarter 19th century

Storage Bag, Wool (warp, weft and pile), silk (pile); asymmetrically knotted pile — Storage Bag
early 19th century

Fragment of a Storage Bag, Wool (warp and weft), cotton (weft and pile), wool (pile), silk (pile); asymmetrically knotted pile — Fragment of a Storage Bag
first half 19th century

Carpet, Wool (warp, weft and pile); asymmetrically knotted pile — Carpet
19th century

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.