Rug and Textile Appreciation Morning: Turkmen: Tribal Carpets and Traditions

The Textile Museum’s landmark 1980 exhibition Turkmen: Tribal Carpets and Traditions showcased nearly 100 woven artworks of exceptional quality and craftsmanship, including many from the museum collection. The exhibition and accompanying catalog — principally authored by Jon Thompson, with contributions from Louise Mackie and other scholars — featured works from the Salor, Saryk, Tekke, Chodor, Arabatchi, Yomud and Ersari Turkmen tribes, as well as examples woven in the Emirate of Bukhara.  

In this talk, researcher Louise Shelley will discuss her transformative experiences viewing Turkmen carpets in this exhibition, as well as through her travels in the U.S.S.R. in the 1970s. 

Richard Isaacson will review highlights of the exhibition and subsequent research developments, including the reassignment of certain weaving groups to new tribes and new evidence from photographic archives. Dr. Isaacson will also touch on how scientific tools — such as carbon dating, dye and mordant analysis, and statistical sampling of knot density — may inform future Turkmen carpet studies. 

About Richard Isaacson

Richard Isaacson received a Ph.D. in theoretical physics from the University of Maryland and later became the founding program director for the Gravitational Physics Program at the U.S. National Science Foundation. He has written for Oriental Rug Review, Cloudband Magazine, HALI, Carpet Collector, Asian Textiles and The Textile Museum Journal, and has guest-curated two exhibitions at The Textile Museum. 

About Louise Shelley 

Louise Shelley is distinguished university professor emerita and Omer L. and Nancy Hirst Chair Emerita at George Mason University. She is a leading expert on terrorism, organized crime, corruption, human trafficking and transnational crime, with a particular focus on the former Soviet Union. She has also lectured and written on the illicit trade in textiles. 

How to Participate

This program is free and open to the public. You can join us in person at the museum or watch the livestream online. Please register in advance and choose how you would like to participate. We will email virtual attendees a link and instructions for joining via Zoom. When you register, you can also request to receive a reminder email one day before the program with the link included.   

About Rug and Textile Appreciation Mornings

Collectors and experts discuss textile topics and display examples from their personal holdings. This series is named in honor of late Textile Museum trustee emeritus, Harold M. Keshishian. Browse upcoming programs

Additional Information 

Photos and/or videos of attendees of this program may be taken and shared on social media, websites, or marketing materials. Please contact MuseumEdgwu [dot] edu (MuseumEd[at]gwu[dot]edu) if you have questions about photography or recordings at this program.