The fabric "terme" is known to all Kyrgyz people. It is widely used among the Turkic-speaking peoples of Central Asia. By the method of production, this fabric belongs to the type of supplementary weaves, and its folk name "terme" reflects the main technical technique that forms its specificity. "Terme" means "assembled." The warp threads, which create the pattern, are paired together on a stick (tergich) during weaving and temporarily, depending on the pattern, do not participate in the interlacing of the warp and weft threads. Then, according to the pattern, the warp threads interlace with the weft, enter the shed, and re-emerge through one weft. This technique in weaving explains the presence of a recessed dot ornament in the fabric. Thus, the pattern on the front side is created by warp threads of two colors. On the reverse side of the "terme" fabric, transverse stripes of alternating colors appear.
The yarn for the warp of "terme" is prepared in the form of tightly twisted even threads, which the artisans call byshyk (strong, durable). The weft consists of dark-colored threads, as they are invisible, and they are twisted significantly weaker. "Terme" is a dense and thick fabric with an uneven surface.
The yarn for "terme" is dyed in two of the most common colors (red and blue) in muted shades. In fabrics produced in recent years, combinations of gray and blue, blue and orange, brown and yellow colors can also be found. To create the border line, natural brown wool is usually introduced. Undyed cotton thread is also used to create the pattern.
Very original "terme" stripes called eka juzduu (double-sided) are also produced. They have no reverse side; a specific pattern is woven on both sides. These stripes are woven with a width of up to 6-8 cm. They are mainly used as the yellow boor trim that hangs from the top of the yurt's dome, and both sides are visible. They are also used for other purposes (edging carpets, wrapping household items, etc.). Similar double-sided stripes, made using the "terme" technique with identical ornaments, are known to Kazakhs and Karakalpaks.
Of all types of patterned weaving, the "terme" fabric is considered the most difficult to execute. The Kyrgyz people highly value artisans who know this technique. This is reflected in folklore. In laments (koshok) after the death of a good artisan, her skill in weaving patterned "terme" is always praised.
The complexity of working on "terme" fabric begins with the preparation of the warp, when additional threads are introduced for a specific pattern. Experienced artisans know well how many threads to provide for a given pattern at a specific width of the fabric. For example, 15-25 threads are used for the patterns tai taman (foal's track), tailak taman (camel's track), 60 threads for the ornament "kochkorek" ("kaykalak"). For the widest fabric with the pattern kyrk shak (forty branches), 90 threads are used.
The ornament on "terme" fabric is specific. A characteristic feature is the equality of the background and the pattern, which relates it to the decoration of felt and pile products and to mats made from "chiya."
Main ornamental motifs of "terme" fabric. — "pychak uchu"; also sometimes referred to as patterns 10, 13, 14; 2, 3, 5 "kochkorek" or "kayka-lak"; 4 — "toguz doob"; 6 — "tai tu yak"; 7 — "it taman"; 8 "kosh muyu"; 9 — "pashaiy kocot"; 11 — "chagyrmak" or "shak"; 12 — "omurtka", 13 — "kyial" or "iyrek"; 14 — "ala monchok"; 15 — "sytsar muyu"
As for the compositional structure of "terme" fabric, there is always a border along the edges, regardless of its width, while the filling of the field of stripes can be noted in three variants:
1) the entire middle is filled with one pattern, continuously extending throughout the stripe and constructed in one color rhythm. The pattern is usually in the form of a wave with branches;
2) the stripe is filled with a rhythmically repeating pattern of one design. The most commonly used patterns in such a composition are in the form of diamonds and hexagons;
3) the middle of the stripe is divided into diamonds, into which a pattern with curls is introduced. This pattern finds a complete analogy among Kazakhs in products made from chiya — in curtains on the door of the yurt. It has many variations. The most widespread among them is the archaic pattern "kyrk shak." It is used on decorative stripes "korogo tanuu." It is also found on mats made from chiya.
