Kazakh Syrmak Mosaic

Ornament & symbolism

Two felts of opposite colour are cut to one pattern and stitched so each kochkor-müyüz curl appears red-on-cream and cream-on-red. The ram's horn calls in wealth and abundance.

SyrmakSyrmak — The Kazakh equivalent of the shyrdak: a felt mosaic of two cut-and-stitched colours, often quilted, used to dress the yurt floor.FeltFelt — A non-woven textile: wool fibres are matted together with moisture, heat and pressure. The base of nomadic floor coverings.Kochkor-müyüzKochkor-müyüz — The ram's-horn motif — a pair of curling spirals. The most common steppe symbol, standing for wealth, abundance and fertility.ShyrdakShyrdak — A Kyrgyz mosaic-felt carpet: two contrasting felts are cut to the same pattern and inlaid so positive and negative swap places.

History

The syrmak dressed the floor of the yurt and was quilted for durability. Made by women and passed down, a fine syrmak was a measure of a family's craft and standing.

Suits these interiors

Bold, flat and graphic — a statement felt for a rustic-modern living room or a cabin; the cut-mosaic edges look crisp on a wood floor.