Alasha (traditional Kazakh woven rug)

Description

The zhus-teru alasha is a traditional woven floor covering made from dyed wool and cotton threads using a simple loom. The textile is constructed by stitching together several narrow woven strips. The present example is created using the “zhus-teru” technique, a patterned weaving method in which the design is formed by alternating warp threads with the aid of a weaving tool and inserting weft threads.
The carpet consists of five strips, each approximately 32 cm wide, joined into a single composition. The surface is decorated with the traditional “koshkar muiz” (ram’s horn) ornament in alternating red and green colors. Each strip features a decorative border about 7 cm wide with red and yellow patterns. The ends are finished with tassels made of red and yellow threads. The artifact reflects the traditions of Kazakh decorative and applied arts and weaving craftsmanship.
Date: 20th century
Material: Wool, multicolored threads
Technique: Hand weaving (loom), zhus-teru technique
Size: Length - 2.68 m; Width - 1.63 m