Khorjun
Khorjun (not khorjin)
Khorjun (not khorjin)
The Thompson Saryk Khordjin
Khorjun (not khorjin)A Khorjun is a double saddle or donkey bag. Loads are balanced between the two sides and draped over the back of an animal. Alternate spellings include khorjin, Khorjin, Kharjin, Khordjin, and Khurdzhin
The Rippon Boswell Moghan Shahsavan Khorjun
A few examples
The Thompson Saryk Khorjun
Tekke Khorjun Bagface
Ersari Khorjun Bagface mid 20th C.
I have never seen a Turkmen Khorjun that seemed very old. So then the obvious question is how long have the Turkmen woven Khorjun. We can gain insight to this by what other related groups wove Khorjun. The Turkmen are part of the greater Oguz group which correlates with a language Linguists call Southern Turkic. Among the Oguz/Southern Turkic croup are the Qashqai. Shahsavan, and the Afshar. Below I have placed examples of their Khorjun. Since we see Khorjun in a number of branches it stands to reason that a tradition of Khorjun weaving predates the various Oguz splits. Following that line of reason the scarcity of Turkmen Khorjun may have more to do with use and need.
Qashqai Khorjun Panel
A Shahsavan Beetle Bag (Khorjun)
The Rippon Boswell Moghan Shahsavan Khorjun
Mid 19th C. Mianeh Fantastic Animal Shahsavan Khorjun
2nd half Minah Khani w/Bijar border Shahsavan Khorjun
19th C. Reverse Sumakh Shahsavan Khorjun
Nagel fine Afshar Khorjun bagface late 19th C.
A Pair of Qashqa’i Bags from Hassan Maktabi & Sons
Qashqai Bag 19th C Fars Province
Pair of Qashqai Bagfaces Fars Province
This page is part of a cooperative project with Seyitguly Batyrov of Turkmen Carpets Online to give a proper spelling of common Turkmen terms used in describing rugs.