Oriental Rugs Glossary “E”

Eastern Turkestan: An area of western China in the southwestern part of Xinjiang province. Oriental Rugs from this region are sometimes referred to as Samarkand rugs. Common sizes are 4×8 or 4×9 and popular designs include three medallions, pots with flowers and thirdly all over geometric elements throughout the field.

Embossed: A process of carving around a design or symbol to enhance the look of the rug. Commonly done in some Chinese art deco rugs and Tibet rugs.

Endless Knot: A buddhist emblem symbolizing long duration, often used with other symbols.

Erivan: Armenian rug centre.

Ersari: A large sub-tribe of the Turkmen distributed along the Amu Darya valley and in northwest Afghanistan. Recently, many Ersari have settled in Afghanistan and Pakistan. We have for sale Ersari rugs

Eyerlyk: saddle rug

Ensi (engsi): Used to cover the entrance to a tent, in other words a woven ‘door’. Because of the mihrab-like design of many ensis, some writers have assumed that they were also used as prayer rugs; there appears to be no evidence of this usage and a number of authorities have specifically excluded it.

Ezine: European Turkey Town noted for elegant simple small rugs.

Elem: (Turkmen) additional border in pile oriental rugs, situated at the ends of a main rug or at the bottom of a mafrash, torba or chvual.

Eshik tysh: door hanging or rug used by the Kyrgyz, a Kyrgyz word.

Eyer: (Turkmen) saddle.