TURKISH HAND MADE CARPET
THE HISTORY OF TURKISH CARPET
Carpet-making was initiated in Central Asia by Turks during the 5 th and 6th centuries / B.C.The oldest handmade carpet known was discovered by a Russian Archeologist under the ice-covered land in Siberia and pieces of this carpet are now preserved at the Leningrad Museum. These carpets were hand knotted and the Turkish or the Gördes knot was used.
During the subsequent period, Turkish started to migrate to the west because of a drought which occurred in Central Asia. The Turkish Tribes migrating to the west followed two paths, one to the north and the other to the south of the Caspian Sea. Those who chose the southern track settled on the lands called "Anatolia" and started establishing states, finally laying the foundation of the present Turkish State.
Due to migration, no development was observed in the art of carpet weaving between the 5 Th and 11 Th centuries.
However, at the outset of the 12 th century, Turkish carpet-weaving began to develop and beautiful carpets like Konya, Sivas and Kayseri were manufactured at that time, as recorded in the journal of Marco Polo who travelled through Anatolia during the years 1271-1272 (A.D)
In the 14 th and 15 th centuries, during the Seljuk era, in Anatolia, carpet making enjoyed the most brilliant period.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, during the Ottoman era, however, this art reached its golden age. The best carpets of that era were woven in Gördes, Kula, Uşak, Bergama, Simav and Izmir.
In those days old women combed and spun wool, the men did the dyeing and the young girls, until they got married, knotted carpets in painstaking efforts for their fiancés and for decorating their future homes. The number and the beauty of carpets knotted by them reflected their tastes and womanhood. The art of carpet-making which is presently being practiced in various regions of Anatolia dates back to Central Asia. The Turkish carpets which are being developed every day have, so far, been decorating the homes of Europeans and Americans.
GENERAL INFORMATION ON TURKISH CARPETS
All the carpets illustrated in this book are handwoven. The sizes given are approximate averages. Pure silk or spun wool are used in producing carpets. Natural dyes used in dyeing the carpets are extracted from the vegetables indicated here below.
Colors such as brown, white and black used in yarns for knotting are obtained from the natural colored wool of sheep and camels.
Spun wool yarn is dyed by means of two different methods.
1-Boiling Method
The vegetables from which dyes will be extracted are cut into very small pieces and put into water in a large cauldron and stirred. The wool yarn to be dyed is placed in the cauldron and is boiled for a period of one day by stirring every ten minutes. The reason behind frequent stirring is to avoid unsimilar coloring of the yarn. After the dyeing process, the yarn is dried. The dyed and dried yarn is rinsed in pure water and dried again. After the process, the dye stays fixed on the yarn. Thus, the yarn is ready for weaving.
2-Caucasian Method.
The vegetables from which the dyes will be extracted are cut into very small pieces and put in a large cauldron containing cold water and stirred. The cleansed wool yarn is placed in the cauldron for exposure to the sun. It stays in the sun for 15 days during which it is stirred once in every 2 days. At the end of the 15 day period, the wool yarn is taken out of the water and dried. The dyed water in the cauldron is poured into earthenware containers. Then yarn is placed in these containers and is exposed to the sun for another week. During this period the yarn is stirred once in every 2 days. The wool yarn is washed and rinsed after the second dyeing. When the yarn is dried, it is ready for weaving.
The vegetables listed below are used in dyeing the wool yarn of the handmade carpets.
1- Different shades of brown: from the walnut peels, fruit peels of madder (rubia tinctorum) and beet roots.
2- Different shades of red: from red roots (Acrostic Stolonifera major) wild cherry roots (prunus mahaleb), beet roots, gum traga canth (astragalus gummifer).
3- Different shades of green: from walnut peels, madder (rubia tinctorum) leaves and olive leaves.
4- Navy blue: from saffron (crocus sativus) roots.
5- Yellow: from the mixture of walnut tree leaves and wine leaves.
6- Camel hair color: Sometimes genuine camel hair is used, but generally the color is obtained by mixing gray which is extracted from earth and walnut peels. Before dyeing, the wool yarn is cleansed by boiling with vine leaves. Black and gray are obtained from earth.
Warp-Weft-Knot
When a row of knot is completed, the two warps are passed through the weft and squeezed by means of a kind of comb. Thus the knots are firmly fixed in their places.In all carpets described as “ANATOLIAN Turkish name ANADOLU” the Turkish or Gordes Knot is used, whereas in Isparta and Kayseri Carpets the Persian knot is employed. The Turkish knot is generally stronger than the Persian knot. The latter is more suited for fine work. The difference between the two techniques is obvious; the Turkish knot is wrapped around.
Carpet-making was initiated in Central Asia by Turks during the 5 th and 6th centuries / B.C.The oldest handmade carpet known was discovered by a Russian Archeologist under the ice-covered land in Siberia and pieces of this carpet are now preserved at the Leningrad Museum. These carpets were hand knotted and the Turkish or the Gördes knot was used.
During the subsequent period, Turkish started to migrate to the west because of a drought which occurred in Central Asia. The Turkish Tribes migrating to the west followed two paths, one to the north and the other to the south of the Caspian Sea. Those who chose the southern track settled on the lands called "Anatolia" and started establishing states, finally laying the foundation of the present Turkish State.
Due to migration, no development was observed in the art of carpet weaving between the 5 Th and 11 Th centuries.
However, at the outset of the 12 th century, Turkish carpet-weaving began to develop and beautiful carpets like Konya, Sivas and Kayseri were manufactured at that time, as recorded in the journal of Marco Polo who travelled through Anatolia during the years 1271-1272 (A.D)
In the 14 th and 15 th centuries, during the Seljuk era, in Anatolia, carpet making enjoyed the most brilliant period.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, during the Ottoman era, however, this art reached its golden age. The best carpets of that era were woven in Gördes, Kula, Uşak, Bergama, Simav and Izmir.
In those days old women combed and spun wool, the men did the dyeing and the young girls, until they got married, knotted carpets in painstaking efforts for their fiancés and for decorating their future homes. The number and the beauty of carpets knotted by them reflected their tastes and womanhood. The art of carpet-making which is presently being practiced in various regions of Anatolia dates back to Central Asia. The Turkish carpets which are being developed every day have, so far, been decorating the homes of Europeans and Americans.
GENERAL INFORMATION ON TURKISH CARPETS
All the carpets illustrated in this book are handwoven. The sizes given are approximate averages. Pure silk or spun wool are used in producing carpets. Natural dyes used in dyeing the carpets are extracted from the vegetables indicated here below.
Colors such as brown, white and black used in yarns for knotting are obtained from the natural colored wool of sheep and camels.
Spun wool yarn is dyed by means of two different methods.
1-Boiling Method
The vegetables from which dyes will be extracted are cut into very small pieces and put into water in a large cauldron and stirred. The wool yarn to be dyed is placed in the cauldron and is boiled for a period of one day by stirring every ten minutes. The reason behind frequent stirring is to avoid unsimilar coloring of the yarn. After the dyeing process, the yarn is dried. The dyed and dried yarn is rinsed in pure water and dried again. After the process, the dye stays fixed on the yarn. Thus, the yarn is ready for weaving.
2-Caucasian Method.
The vegetables from which the dyes will be extracted are cut into very small pieces and put in a large cauldron containing cold water and stirred. The cleansed wool yarn is placed in the cauldron for exposure to the sun. It stays in the sun for 15 days during which it is stirred once in every 2 days. At the end of the 15 day period, the wool yarn is taken out of the water and dried. The dyed water in the cauldron is poured into earthenware containers. Then yarn is placed in these containers and is exposed to the sun for another week. During this period the yarn is stirred once in every 2 days. The wool yarn is washed and rinsed after the second dyeing. When the yarn is dried, it is ready for weaving.
The vegetables listed below are used in dyeing the wool yarn of the handmade carpets.
1- Different shades of brown: from the walnut peels, fruit peels of madder (rubia tinctorum) and beet roots.
2- Different shades of red: from red roots (Acrostic Stolonifera major) wild cherry roots (prunus mahaleb), beet roots, gum traga canth (astragalus gummifer).
3- Different shades of green: from walnut peels, madder (rubia tinctorum) leaves and olive leaves.
4- Navy blue: from saffron (crocus sativus) roots.
5- Yellow: from the mixture of walnut tree leaves and wine leaves.
6- Camel hair color: Sometimes genuine camel hair is used, but generally the color is obtained by mixing gray which is extracted from earth and walnut peels. Before dyeing, the wool yarn is cleansed by boiling with vine leaves. Black and gray are obtained from earth.
Warp-Weft-Knot
When a row of knot is completed, the two warps are passed through the weft and squeezed by means of a kind of comb. Thus the knots are firmly fixed in their places.In all carpets described as “ANATOLIAN Turkish name ANADOLU” the Turkish or Gordes Knot is used, whereas in Isparta and Kayseri Carpets the Persian knot is employed. The Turkish knot is generally stronger than the Persian knot. The latter is more suited for fine work. The difference between the two techniques is obvious; the Turkish knot is wrapped around.
Turkish Gordes Knot Prsian Knot
Wool Spinning
The wool used in hand-woven Turkish rugs is spun either manually or mechanically. Rugs made of manually spun wool gain after washing, a shinier gloss and are therefore much more valuable.
In all carpets described as “ANATOLIAN” the Turkish or Gordes Knot is used, whereas in Isparta and Kayseri Carpets the Persian knot is employed. The Turkish knot is generally stronger than the Persian knot. The latter is more suited for fine work. The difference between the two techniques is obvious; the Turkish knot is wrapped around.
WASHING METHODS AND WOOL
Washing of Carpets
There are three main methods of washing:
a) Old-When colors are faded to give the carpet an antique look
b) Gold - When carpets are give a luster like gold
c) Normal - When colors are not faded or slightly faded.
Wools From Plateau
Amongst hand-woven Turkish carpets, Hereke, Döşemealtı and Kars-Kazak carpets are woven with the highest quality wool from the plateaus, “Plateau Woll” is a term used for wool obtained from raised on plateaus over 1000-1500 meters high. Sheep grazing on the plateaus have softer wool with long fibers, due to the air, water and vegetation on the plateaus. The reasons can be listed as follows:
1 – The air on the plateaus is always fresh. Therefore the sheep bred on the heights are healthier.
2 - The vegetation on higher altitudes is always abundant and fresh due to rich soil and frequent rain.
3 – The wool of the sheep grazing in the open air on the plateaus often gets washed in the rain. Owing to the reasons stated above, the “Plateau Wool” is softer, stronger, more lustrous and of higher quality.
Wool Spinning
The wool used in hand-woven Turkish rugs is spun either manually or mechanically. Rugs made of manually spun wool gain after washing, a shinier gloss and are therefore much more valuable.
Washing of Carpets:
There are three main methods of washing.
a) Old - When colors are faded to give the carpet an antique look
b) Gold - When carpets are give a luster like gold
c) Normal - When colors are not faded or slightly faded.
Artificial Silk
Artificial silk (Floss) is used in some of the carpets woven in Kayseri and in its vicinity.
These carpets have their warps and wefts made of mercerized cotton.
Their knots are made of Floss. They look like genuine silk carpets.
Since these lustrous looking carpets woven with floss knots are much cheaper than the real silk, they can be bought and used with good taste.
SIZES OF TURKISH CARPETS
Turkish carpets are named according to their sizes as it will be noted from the list below. When buying a carpet or having it manufactured, with such nomenclature as Cheered, Saccade, Kelle it is understood that the item in question will have the sizes shown opposite their names, however these sizes cannot always be considered as a standard. 10 - 20 % difference can be observed depending on the weaver, the material used and variety in designs.
By referring to the list below it would be easy to find out the approximate size of the carpet.
Sizes (cm.) and nomenclature
Yastik Seccade Saf Karyola
90-100*60-70 150-200*110-170 160-300*70-100 220-250*150
Kelle Taban Yolluk (Runner)
220-250*150 Larger than 6 Sqm 250-300*70-100
SILK CARPETS...
1-HEREKE SILK CARPET:
The highest quality genuine silk and wool carpets of the world are woven in the vicinity of Hereke in Turkey. The silk carpets, 100 % pure silk from bursa are used. In wool carpets the warps and wefts are cotton and the pile is knotted with the highest quality wool from the plateus. The silk carpets contain from 1 million to 4 million knots per square meter.
The number of knots per square meter in the highest quality wool carpets is 640 thousand to one million. In the second quality wool carpets, it is around 380 thousand.
Hereke carpets are woven especially in the original Hereke and Istanbul-Kumkapi patterns.
The finest silk carpets are manufactured in Turkey. A normal Hereke Silk Carpet one square meter has 10*10 knots or 100 knots in a square centimeter and it takes about one year to weave this carpet. It may take a longer time depending on the number of knots per square centimeter, as indicated here below:
Time required weaving a
Number of Knots Silk Hereke carpet of one
Per square centimeter: square meter:
10*10 = 100 knots 9 -12 months
12*12 = 144 knots 1.5 years
16*16 = 256 knots 3 years
18*18 = 324 knots 4+ years
Taking into consideration the obtaining of raw silk, as briefly outlined above, also the length of time and painstaking efforts required for weaving, it can be appreciated why a silk carpet is expensive.
Size of Silk Carpets: Cm.
Yastik Ceyrek Seccade Karyola Kelle Taban
100*60 135*90 180*170 220*150 300*200 Larger Than 6 Sq.m .
2-KAYSERI SILK CARPET:
Kayseri carpets also known by the name” Bunyan” are made of pure silk, artificial silk and wool. In artificial silk and wool carpets, cotton yarn is used for warp and weft. In pure silk carpets, the warp and weft are also silk. Genuine Kayseri silk carpets have on the average 490-640 thousand knots per square meter. Artificial silk and wool carpets contain an average of 160-250 thousand per square meter.
Types manufactured: (Size cm.)
Yastik Ceyrek Saf Karyola Kelle Taban
100*60 135*90 160*70 180*150 300*200 Larger Than 6 Sq.M
200*90
300*100
WOOL CARPETS...
ANADOL YASTIK - HEYBE
In Turkey, in all districts where Anatolia carpets are knotted, various yastiks are also knotted and they are miniature models of the carpets peculiar to the district. The yastiks can be found on the market in abundance. The size is generally 100 * 60 cm. with an average variance of 5-10 cm. Anatolian yastiks are very common in the districts where YORUK Kirsehir and Konya carpets are knotted.
TASPINAR
Taspinar carpets are one of the most beautiful among Anatolian carpets. They are woven with 100% pure wool yarn.
Colors: The yarn is dyed with natural dyes by the Caucasian method. The dominant colors are red and navy blue.
Pattern: In old Taspinar carpets, the influence of Persian patterns can be clearly seen. In these carpets, plant figures and geometric figures are used simultaneously. New Taspinar carpets are knotted in more varying patterns. Especially Caucasian and nomadic patterns are very popular.
Types manufactured: Cm.
Ceyrek Seccade Karyola
150*100 200*130 250*150
DOSEMEALTI
These carpets are knotted with naturally dyed 100% plateau wool yarn, by Dosemealti nomads living on the plateaus around Antalya. Dosemealti carpets, which remind one of Megri and similar carpets, are well sought after among Anatolian carpets due to the high quality of the wool and the beauty of their colors.
Colors: The nomads spin the yarn out of plateau wool and dye it with natural dyes.
Pattern: The carpets are woven in a limited number of original Dosemealti patterns.
Types manufactured: Cm.
Ceyrek Seccade Yolluk (Runner)
120*75 180*120 300*75
YAHYALI
These carpets are knotted in the vicinity of Kayseri out of 100% wool, dyed with natural dyes.
Colors: The dominance of navy blue, red, brown and gray is very clearly seen on these carpets. The extraction of the dyes is done by the natives of this district by their own methods. The natives dye the wool by the boiling method, in their homes.
Non - native patterns are unpopular among the weavers. The most common patterns are listed below:
1. Seven Mihraps (Prayer Niche) – The mihrap part of the pattern consists of seven intersecting mihraps.
2. Selvili (with cypresses) – The mihrap part of the pattern consists of cypresses larger in the center and gradually becoming larger towards the edges.
3. Original Turkish Mihrap – In this pattern the main mihrap is sometimes seen with a kandil (oil lamb).
4. Center Medallion – It is a typical example of the original Turkish medallion design. There are different varieties: single, double or triple medallions.
5. The surface is plain apart from the medallion. But on the edges and in the corners there are designs consisting of pictures of mosques, geometric figures of Ladik and geometric figures called cat-foot. Very rarely, Caucasian designs such as the geometric figures used in Gence carpets can also be seen.
Types manufactured: Cm.
Yastik Ceyrek Seccade Yolluk Large Seccade
100*60 135*90 200*120 250*70 250*140
YAGCIBEDIR
The carpets of this district are woven with 100% wool yarn dyed with natural dyes by boiling.
Colors: In Yagcibedir carpets, the dominant colors are navy blue and red.
Patterns: The carpet patterns are peculiar to this district. The wavers do not use any non-native patterns. In the patterns, geometric designs and broken lines are very frequently used.
Types manufactured: Cm.
Ceyrek Seccade Yolluk (Runner)
130*80 170*115 300*65
CANAKKALE - AYVACIK
These carpets are woven with naturally dyed pure wool yarn on the plateaus and mountain villages in the vicinity of Canakkale. Canakkale carpets are also known by the name of Ayvacik, Ezine and Edremit, on the market. The production of these carpets has shown a very large increase in the recent years.
Colors: The dyes are extracted from local plants by indigenous methods. The wool yarn is dyed by the natives in the Caucasian style. The carpets larger than 5 sqm. Are named "Altintabak"(the golden plate) with reference to the colors resembling the sun.
Patterns: The patterns in general include all native figures of the Aegean Region
Types manufactured: Cm.
Ceyrek Yolluk Kelle Taban
130*85 250*75 275*200 Larger than 5.5 Sq.m.
KULA:
Kula carpets, woven in the vicinity of Izmir, Isparta and Dazkiri, have recently gained considerable importance among Turkish carpets. The most important characteristic of these carpets, which are woven with 100% wool yarn, are their widely varying patterns and colours. Kula carpets contain an average of 160 thousand knots per square meter.
Colors: The dominant colors on these carpets are pastel.
Patterns: Along with old Kula patterns, various Anatolian patterns are frequently seen on Kula carpets.
Types manufactured: Cm.
Ceyrek Seccade Karyola Kelle Taban
130*90 180*120 250*150 300*200 Larger than 6 Sq.m
MILAS
Milas carpets are knotted with naturally dyed with 100% wool.
Colors: These carpets are woven frequently in different shades of brown, gray, brick-red and various other colors. The dominance of light brown and yellow is the most pronounced in Milas carpets. The dyeing is done by boiling.
Pattern: These carpets are knotted in original Ada Milas and various other Milas patterns. Geometric designs are dominant in the pattern.
Types manufactured: Cm
Yastik Ceyrek Seccade Runner Large Seccade
100*60 150*100 200*130 300*90 250*140
300*80
KARS
These carpets knotted by the local people of Kars and vicinity with highest quality, naturally dyed wool.
Colors: The yarn used in Kars carpets is dyed with natural dyes in the Caucasian carpets.
Patterns: The most common patterns are those of the old Caucasian Kirman Gence and Dagistan carpets.
Types manufactured: Cm
Yastik Seccade Yolluk Kelle
100*70 150*140 300*100 350*175
YUNTDAGI
These carpets are knotted with 100% wool. Although new Yuntdag carpets are not manufactured to any significant extent, old ones can be easily found on the market.
Colors: The dominance of green and white can be clearly seen on these carpets. The colors are mainly pastel.
Patterns: These carpets are knotted mainly in mihrap and medallion designs and there is a dominance of geometric figures.
Types manufactured: Cm
Ceyrek Seccade Kelle
135*80 165*110 250*175
KONYA-LADIK
All Konya carpets are knotted with 100% wool. In general, dyes are natural. Some of the prominent Konya carpets currently produced area Inlice Kecimuslu, Karaman, Karapinar, Sille, Zili, Ladik and Eregli Nomad carpets.
Colors: The dominance of pastel colors in Konya carpets is noticeable. Red yellow and green are frequently seen. Only nomad carpets woven around Eregli, which resemble Taspinar carpets, have a dominance of red and navy blue in their colors.
Pattern: The influence of Persian patterns can be clearly seen. In these carpets, plant figures are used simultaneously.
Types manufactured: Cm
Yastik Ceyrek Seccade Karyola Yolluk Kelle Taban
100*60 145*100 180*120 220*150 300*100 300*200 Larger than 6 Sq.m.
200*120
OLD CARPETS
The art of carpet knotting has been brought to Asia Minor by the Oguz Turks emigrating from Central Asia. Carpet knotting has been widely practiced by the Anatolian women to create the richness of color harmony seen in Anatolian carpets.
The patterns consisting mostly of geometric figures or flowers are the reflection of nature. The dyes used are vegetable dyes, the wool is hand spun and the pattern is the product of the skillful hands of the artist. An appreciative eye can see the moon and the stars of a clear summer night on Yagcibedir, the blue of the ocean on a Dosemealti. , Bergama and Milas patterns contain figures inspired by the Architecture of the Hellenistic and the Roman era.
OLD KILIMS
The kilim is probably the best known type of weft-faced flat weave. It is woven by building up a design in blocks of color with discontinued weft threads.
The oldest known Turkish kilims in existence are floral-design pieces with patterns from the repertoire of 16th to 18th Century Ottoman art.
ANATOLIAN KILIMS
Kilim weaving in Anatolia is old as carpet knotting and equally widespread. Kilims have richness in color, pattern and quality. They are an inevitable element in modern furnishing as a floor cover or an ornament to be hung on the walls.