Plate Eight
Yomut Chuval
Archaic Period

The Yomut, like the Ersari, were not a homogeneous and their weavings naturally reflect a diversity of materials, technical aspects of structure, and design. There have been a number of attempts connect specific weavings with specific sub-groups known as being part of the Yomut confederation. But once again these efforts have been far from positive and none of these identifications have so far proven factual.

What are not speculative, however, are the several new groups of Yomut weavings recently isolated based on the presence of rare and unusual structural characteristics. These groupings and others will be further enhanced by the applications of scientific techniques to further define wool and dye materials. These tests, unlike structural analysis, require the application of laboratory sciences and at present only the most general forms of these types of analyses have been attempted and the findings, while rudimentary, have been helpful. But extracting the higher level of results needed to gain definitive information demands the application of the forensic testing program the Museum intends to implement.

The small main göls of this chuval are quite standard but the minor göls(fig34) are extremely rare and are the archetype for this rare göl. They are icons and the small cross within an octagon in the centers of each of these is highly unusual as it creates a virtual göl within a göl design. Two other chuvals, Plates Five and Six also have similar crosses but theirs are located in the major göls and have a much higher level of articulation.

The different combinations of white triangles at the horizontal and vertical ends of the göl are likewise very unusual and they too imply some important and for the time being unknown connotation. But that is not the case with the main border designs(fig.34a). They are clearly large birds and once again the connections of the bird icon, the shaman and the archaic weaving culture are actively illustrated.

CAPTIONS

Fig.34 Minor göl Plate Eight
Fig.34a Main border showing large birds Plate Eight

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