The term Turkmen (pronounced as To-ku-mong) was first mentioned in the 8th century. Some 2,000 years ago, they were living in the east up to the banks of Syr Darya River (Jaxartes River).

Headwear for Turkmen women 

• 1) Hat (Yurik): The hat used by Turkmen women has different names. 

• Its upper part, which is smooth and has a spherical shape, is decorated with sequins and tinsels. 

• After marriage, Turkmen women wear headbands decorated with silver and gold pendants. 

• Turkmen women wear different kinds of hats which indicate to which clan and tribe they belong. 

• Yurik’s features: they are cylindrical lengthy hats with wider upper sections. It has a strong framework.

• The framework of Yurik is generally covered by scarves or silk threads. Over it, they wear a big silk or thread cloth as scarves.

2) Alindani (headband) 

• Kind of hat worn by Yamut women 

• A folded kerchief is tied over the forehead and its angles are tied under the scarf. 

• Jafarbay women: wear headbands made of red threat-made textiles. In order to make it stronger, they put cardboard inside it. 

• Turkmen women wear scarves over their alindani.

Scarves of Turkmen women 

• Their scarves are made of kerchiefs (like Kalaghis used by Lur women). This kerchief has an orange context and huge yellow-color designs. 

• Over this headwear, they wear more extensive kerchiefs which have the same size as a scarf decorated with lengthy and grand strings. 

• Turkmen girls wear two kinds of scarves: 1) a relatively thick scarf covered with needlework named Kourkheh; and 2) a textile made of thin silk named Qingach. 

• Among members of Yamut clan, a kind of scarf is commonly used which is referred to as Chashou. There are different kinds of Chashou. They are made of silk. 

• There are silk scarves which are called Yalaq.

Doun 

• The dress that Turkmen women wear at different ages is samite textile. Its back is covered by something which is called “Doun”. Its design is peculiar to Turkmen women. 

• Samites are of 4 types: summer samites (Gah Bim); winter samite (Doun); celebration samites Qezel Doun); and wool (Chakman). 

• The color of samite textiles: they are mostly blue and black. For wedding ceremonies, however, they are called “Qermezi Doun”. 

• Chakmans are of two types thin and thick.

To be continued