Regulations for exporting carpets from Turkmenistan

The Turkmen carpet has been declared a “common heritage of the people” in Turkmenistan. As part of the people’s common heritage, carpets are also protected. There are therefore a number of restrictions on exporting carpets. If you buy a carpet at a Turkmen market (“Tolkuchka”), you must have it assessed at the Carpet Museum. The museum must determine whether the carpet you have bought is considered a historical object of value to Turkmenistan. “Historical objects of value” include all carpets woven before 1989.

Depending on the Carpet Museum’s assessment, you may or may not be issued an export permit for the carpet. If you are not granted permission to export it, you cannot take it home and will have to leave the carpet behind. It is worth obtaining such a certificate before buying, so you can avoid unpleasant surprises. If you buy the carpet at a carpet factory or at the Carpet Museum’s shop, you will receive the receipt free of charge.

Carpets with an area of more than 2.5 square metres are taxed. The amount of tax depends on the type and design of the carpet, as well as other factors. As a result, tourists often pay several times the original price for a souvenir.

As a rule of thumb for the prices of Turkmen carpets—though it is not always accurate—you can remember this: the well-known Turkmen “Achaltekinski” carpet, with an area of 5 square metres, costs around 350–400 euros at the “Tolkuchka” market. After the assessment and tax, it will cost around 800 euros.