Korak (curtain)

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Uzbekistan
1945-1975
cotton, silk, and wool
1992.8.168
65.5 x 49.5 in.

This patchwork curtain known as a korak was traditionally used inside a yurt, a circular, felt domed tent inhabited by nomadic people throughout Turkestan. This curtain is pieced together from woven (pile, ikat, and standard) and printed fabrics in various materials including silk, wool, and cotton. The upper and lower striped borders and vertical ikat borders frame an arrangement of stripes, triangles, and diamonds. The backing is also pieced with printed fabrics.

Ikat fabrics were used for garments, large wall hangings, or bed covers (Klimburg 1993:43). Ikat dyeing was the provenance of men; apprentices learned the techniques from masters. Women used ikat scraps from garments or hangings to create the patchwork curtains, cushions, or camel covers used to carry the bride's dowry (Lindahl and Knorr 1976:50).