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

Turkmens Turkmens ( tk, , , , ; historically "the Turkmen"), sometimes referred to as Turkmen Turks ( tk, , ), are a Turkic ethnic group native to Central Asia, living mainly in Turkmenistan, northern and northeastern regions of Iran and north-weste ...

. It is widespread in

Turkmenistan Turkmenistan ( or ; tk, Türkmenistan / Түркменистан, ) is a country located in Central Asia, bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the sout ...

but is also popular with the Turkmens of

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

and

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

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

Pashtuns Pashtuns (, , ; ps, پښتانه, ), also known as Pakhtuns or Pathans, are an Iranian ethnic group who are native to the geographic region of Pashtunistan in the present-day countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were historically re ...

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 Dictiona ...

, the colour varying between white, black and dark brown depending on the type of sheepskin used. The

tanning Tanning may refer to: *Tanning (leather), treating animal skins to produce leather *Sun tanning, using the sun to darken pale skin **Indoor tanning, the use of artificial light in place of the sun **Sunless tanning, application of a stain or dye t ...

, 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 diverse species of deciduous trees commonly known as mulberries, growing wild and under cultivation in many temperate world regions. Generally, the genus has 64 identif ...

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

Independence_Day_Parade_-_Flickr_-_Kerri-Jo_(215)

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