How did Soviet authorities influence carpet and textile designs in Central Asia?

Following the Russian Revolution, Soviet authorities implemented specific policies to influence the carpet and textile industries in Central Asia. While they took steps to maintain these traditional crafts, they actively encouraged the integration of new thematic elements into the designs, specifically requesting the inclusion of genre scenes, as well as native animals and vegetation.1

This shift was part of a broader effort to align artistic production with the principles of social realism, which favored naturalistic styles over traditional abstract or stylized motifs. Despite these state-directed changes, the cultural significance of traditional carpet patterns persisted; for instance, the Turkmen continued to value their tribal gul motifs, which remained so central to their identity that they were even incorporated into the Soviet-era coat of arms of the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic.12