The Tekke are the largest Turkmen tribal confederation, historically based in southern Turkmenistan around the cities of Merv (Mary), Ashgabat, and Tejen. By the late 19th century, the Tekke were the most prolific Turkmen weavers, and their rugs dominated the export market that flowed through Bukhara to Russia, Persia, and the West.
Defining features of Tekke rugs:
- The Tekke gul — a small, finely-detailed octagonal medallion, repeated in tight grid arrangement across the field. The Tekke gul is one of the most reproduced motifs in all of rug design.
- Secondary gul between the primary guls — usually a smaller cruciform or "chemche" gul
- Deep red ground (madder-red), with secondary colors of dark blue, ivory, and dark brown
- Fine knot density — typically 150–250 KPSI for antique Tekke pieces
- All-wool construction, asymmetric (Persian) knot — note that unlike most Anatolian and Caucasian weavers who use the symmetric knot, the Turkmen tribes including Tekke use the asymmetric knot
Beyond pile rugs, Tekke weavers produced a particularly large vocabulary of functional textiles:
- Chuvals — large storage bags
- Torbas — smaller storage bags
- Mafrash — bedding storage bags
- Khorjins — saddlebags
- Asmalyks — pentagonal camel flank ornaments used in wedding processions
- Ensi — door-curtain rugs that hung at the entrance of yurts; one of the most prestigious Turkmen weaving formats
Most rugs sold as "Bukhara" in contemporary Western retail are actually Tekke designs, either authentic Turkmen production or commercial reproductions made in Pakistan and elsewhere using Tekke gul patterns.