Oriental Rugs Dictionary
Engsi (Ensi)
An Engsi is a type of Turkoman rug traditionally used as a door hanging for a nomadic tent (yurt). The rug is typically divided into several panels by horizontal and vertical bands that form a design resembling a doorway or lattice structure. Engsis were placed at the entrance of the tent and served both a practical and decorative purpose. These rugs were woven by various Turkmen tribes, including the Tekke, Yomut, and Ersari. Engsi is a Turkish word for curtain, and this term is used to identify rugs made by Turkoman tribes to cover the entrance to their tents. As a tradition most of these items were made in a four compartment style that will create a cross shaped center called
