The telpek () is an item of headgear that is part of the traditional clothing of the

Turkmens Turkmens (, , , ) are a Turkic ethnic group native to Central Asia, living mainly in Turkmenistan, northern and northeastern regions of Iran and north-western Afghanistan. Sizeable groups of Turkmens are found also in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, ...

. It is widespread in

Turkmenistan Turkmenistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the south and southwest and the Caspian Sea to the west. Ash ...

but is also popular with the Turkmens of

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...

and

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

. In Afghanistan in particular, it is also worn by the non-Turkmen population, such as the

Pashtuns Pashtuns (, , ; ;), also known as Pakhtuns, or Pathans, are an Iranian peoples, Iranic ethnic group primarily residing in southern and eastern Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan. They were historically also referred to as Afghan (ethnon ...

and the Persian-speaking population in the west of the country.

Design and making

The basis of the telpek is a cap made of soft leather. This is covered on the outside with

sheepskin Sheepskin is the Hide (skin), hide of a Domestic sheep, sheep, sometimes also called lambskin. Unlike common leather, sheepskin is Tanning (leather), tanned with the Wool, fleece intact, as in a Fur, pelt.Delbridge, Arthur, "The Macquarie Diction ...

, the colour varying between white, black and dark brown depending on the type of sheepskin used. The tanning, preparation and stitching of the sheepskin is a complex process that takes a few weeks in total. In order to avoid deformation of the relatively flexible headgear, there are specially made balls made of

mulberry ''Morus'', a genus of flowering plants in the family Moraceae, consists of 19 species of deciduous trees commonly known as mulberries, growing wild and under cultivation in many temperate world regions. Generally, the genus has 64 subordinat ...

wood on which the telpek can be placed. Making of telpeks requires the use of manual force. In different regions of Turkmenistan, there are entire families who are engaged in sewing this traditional headdress. The process of sewing telpeks is a rather time-consuming task, so family members of different ages take part in its manufacture. Well-fed and healthy sheep have a high-quality skin, it is in such cases that the fleece is easily processed, therefore sheepskin dressing is the first stage in the process of sewing a telpek. The skin is spread out and generously sprinkled with salt, folded into an envelope and left for several days. Salt acts as a preservative and fixative for the fur, then the salt is peeled off, the skin is washed and dried in the shade. After drying, the skin must be softened, for which it is smeared with sour kefir or milk, and again it is aged for 1-2 weeks. The craftsmen, who are convinced of the complete dressing of the sheepskin, wash it several times and begin to scrape it with a smooth stone. As a result of this process, the fleece is ready for further work.

Distribution

The telpek is still very popular with the rural population, especially away from the larger cities of Turkmenistan. The practical advantages of the traditional headgear also play a role in this, as it has insulating properties that are of high importance in Turkmenistan, where there are sometimes extreme temperatures in both the positive and negative ranges. In addition, the telpek is now understood as a symbol of Turkmen identity and culture and is worn, for example, on official occasions. Tourists are also often interested in traditional Turkmen clothing and the telpek. Younger Turkmen tend to wear white telpeks, while older individuals tend to wear grey or black telpeks.

References

{{Reflist Headgear Culture of Turkmenistan

Design and making

Distribution

See also

References