Turkmen Handicrafts

Weaving Turkmen Women of Rural Afghanistan

In the remote clay homes of northern Afghanistan, generations of Turkmen women have carried on the ancient art of Kilim weaving—not just as a tradition, but as a quiet form of resistance and survival. In a region marked by over four decades of conflict and cultural suppression, these women have kept their hands moving across the loom, even as the world around them shifts.

Restricted from attending school, unable to leave home without a male escort, and barred from most employment, Turkmen women have found refuge—and power—in their looms. Within their cooperative, men assist by dyeing the wool, but it is the women who bring the textiles to life, threading generations of memory and meaning into each piece.

Weaving is not merely a craft; it is livelihood, legacy, and liberation.

Most of the artisans speak only Turkmeni, a language not widely understood beyond their tight-knit community. This linguistic isolation, combined with mounting social restrictions, has made it nearly impossible for them to sell their Kilims locally. Yet, through the International Folk Art Market, their work now reaches global audiences—offering a vital source of income and a renewed sense of dignity.

Each Kilim tells a story not just of beauty and tradition, but of women who, despite impossible odds, continue to create. Their art sustains their families, connects them to their heritage, and asserts their place in a world that often tries to silence them.

In every thread, there is hope. In every rug, resilience.