Keşde — Turkmen needlework

Turkmen women decorate collars, sleeves, hems, headscarves and children's caps with patterns in silk thread. Each motif has a name and meaning — horns, birds, flowers and eyes are believed to protect.

Techniques pass from mother to daughter, and a girl prepares embroidery for her dowry before marriage; colours and forms vary by region and tribe.

UNESCO inscribed "Turkmen-style needlework art" in 2022, and keşde is used today in both national dress and modern fashion.