"MAJOR KILIM WEAVING CENTERS OF
TURKEY
BALIKKESIR
Located in the north west part of Turkey, Balıkkesir is home of many
tribes who wove glorious kilims. One of these tribes called Aydınlı tribe
who used ancient and totemictic pattern. Some of these patterns are traced
back to polished stone age. Balıkkesir is also home kilims called saf where
several praying niches are put side by side.
ŞARKOY
Şarkoy kilims, decorated with tree of life and stylized birds, are woven
in Bulgaria, Greece and the areas close to the Turkish Border. Birds and
tree of life are the most prominent feature of these e kilims. Besides these
motifs, human figures, stylized grape leaves, small praying niches and
diamond designs are often encountered. Hooked diamond shaped medallions are
also one of the major patters of Şarkoy kilims.
Designs on the Şarkoy Kilims are very stylized and abstract.
BERGAMA KILIMS
Located in the north west part of Turkey, Bergama (ancient Pergamon) has
been a great center for historical rugs and kilims. Bergama kilims always
stayed very faithful to the traditional Seljuk designs and patters and
contained geometrical paterns. Stylized tree of life, rams horn are often
used on these kilims. Although blue and red are the dominant colors, we have
also multi colored kilims woven in the area. Pair of hand pattern or comb
design which appear in the center of the kilim are typical for Bergama
kilims. Zili and Cicims, woven in Bergama region, have traditional crosses,
surrounded by squares which symbolize a chest, signifying the weaverÕs
desire to get married.
YUNCU
Located in Balıkkesir region, Yuncu has been home of reputed kilims,
woven with large and powerful ornaments since the 16th century. Most
prominent feature of these kilims are the tree of life or a pole with ram
horns emerging from it. Red, blue, dark green are dominant colors for Yuncu
kilims which are woven mostly in square form and made smaller than Anatolian
kilims. Yuncu kilims are dyed with madder roots (red color) and blue
(indigo). Ram horn is the main pattern on the well-demanded kilims.
MANASTIR
Kilims woven in Gordes, Kula, Usak, Izmir, Akhisan were known as Manastır
Kilims. These kilims with simple patterns draw our attention with very vivid
colors such as red, yellow and blue colors. Geometric medallions, running
dog patters and narrow bands with tiny crosses are typical patterns of
these kilims.
USAK KILIMS
Usak, the home of big size kilims is an important center for contemporary
kimis. Old Usak kilims had often central medallion and red background color.
Some of these KIlims are as big as 5.5 meter square. In the recent years,
Usak became an important center for contemporary kimlims.
DENIZLI
Located in the western Anatolia, Denizli is the major center for
contemporary kilims for export market. In besides these commercial kilims,
Denizli region produces some very produces same authentic regional kilims.
Having a great resemblance to Usak and Esme kilims, Denizsli Kilims have
rectangular sizes and feature bold serrated medallions in fairly bright
colors.
EŞME
Located in the western Anatolia, the town of Esme produces both
contemporary workshop kilim for export and some authentic regional kilims
Esme Kimlims, which have large medallions and amulet form, are decorated
with small geometric and symbolic patterns all over them. most of the kilims,
woven in Esme, have the slit weave technique and usually soft color such as
pinks and grays. Because of their color combinations and fine weaving Esme
kilims are much favored by the westerner. They often produce single or
multiple hexagonal medallions. Whole ground of these kilims is filled with
small and geometrical motifs. Most popular colors that Esme weavers use are
pink, blue, yellow and orange. Small mihraps also appear on the Esme KIlims.
FETHIYE
Fethiye, located in the south west corner of Turkey, produces kilims with
two major compositions. First category of these kilims has empty monochrome
central medallion flanked by two heavily decorated end containing diamond
designs. Second compositions offer a similar lay out. This time central
field is filled various patters.
GAZIANTEP
Situated en the south eastern part of Turkey, near the Syrian Border,
Gaziantep was once the home of very fine kilims. Although Gaziantep doesn't produce a great number of kilims today, old Anteps still appear on the
market. Woven in the slit weave technique, Gaziantep kilims feature diamond
designs (central diamond flanked by two smaller ones). and six pointed
stars. Gaziantep kilims have horizontal bands with various colors. The ying
yang design (symbolizing the harmony), scorpion and eli bilende designs
appear on the Gaziantep kilims. These very elaborate patterns are often
highlighted with a white cotton for special effect.
KARAPINAR
Karapınar, located in Central Anatolia, is noted for the production of
good quality regional kilims featuring praying niche patters. Karapınar
kilims, woven in the slit weave technique, feature primitive tribal
character and appearance. They have pale ground color and darker colors for
the patters.
KARS
Kars, which is a major town on the Turkish Armenian border, produce
kilims with Kurdish and Caucasian influence. Kilims, made in the Kars
region, feature a great variety of praying arches, repeating medallions and
geometric compositions. The quality of these kilims and their patters change
from very simple tribal designs to sophisticated and complex patters. Kars
kilims having dark colors don't suit to western furnishing demands. Kars
Kilim, produced in the recent times tend to use softer palette of colors
such as browns, pinks. orange and white.
KAYSERI
Kayseri, once the capital of Cappadocia region, is an important kilim
weaving center for regional and workshop kilims. It is noted for silk kilims
which are made only in this region. Kayseri workshop kilims may range in
price and quality from medium to high bracket. Besides the loosely woven
kilims some much finer kilims are woven in the area. Colours used for the
Kayseri kilims are often red, black, pink, gray.
Regional kilims tend towards a more subdued Palette colors such as
orange, yellow, brown and white. Paneled or banded compositions or very
intricate designs all over patterns are used. Since the quality of the
material and weaving varies considerably, it is important to judge all
kilims from Kayseri region on their individual merits.
KECIMUHSINE
Located in Central Anatolia near Konya, Kecimuhsine produces cicims in a
unique patter based on cypress tree intersecting prayer arches. Kecimuhsine
weavers use pale colors on the white or cream field. Having small size,
Kecimushine cicims are highly collectable and fall into medium price range.
KELES
Located in the north west part of Turkey, produces fairly coarse slit
woven kilims having tribal features. Keles kilims have subdued shades of
reds, browns, blues and yellow. There range of prayer rug designs.
KONYA
Located in the heart of Turkey, Konya is noted for its historical kilims.
In our day, Konya region is great kilim weaving center with its contemporary
workshops authentic regional weaving. Workshop kilims of Konya are woven in
a variety of sizes, shapes, colors and designs which are aimed for the
export market.
Regional kilims, which are woven in the slitweave technique and
plainweave use a wide range designs and motifs. Central medallions,
repeating geometric patters and all-over designs are most common.
MALATYA
Located in the eastern part of Turkey, Malatya is noted for workshop
kilims and regional kilims of fine quality. Malatya Kilims have limited
number of designs, especially for the big size of Kurdish Kielims. As to
small size prayer kilims, there is more variety of designs are motifs.
MUT
Mut village, located on the Taurus mountains of southern Turkey, is a
center for nomadic and semi nomadic tribesmen. Mut weavers made kilims with
tribal appearance and significant amount of un dyed wool, goat and horse
hair. Designs are mainly bold and based on serrated and hexagonal medallions
in a variety of repeated and interconnected designs.
NIGDE
Located on the major trade roads, Nigde is noted for the fine quality of
kilims which often feature serrated hexagonal motifs in complex.
OBRUK
Renowned for its finely woven prayer kilims rugs( often decorated with
tree of life), Obruk also produces cicims with the geometric forms (
medallions banded designs and interconnecting diamonds)
Obruk color palette varies from the bright to dark with the dominance of
reds, blues, yellows, orange and white.
ERZURUM
Erzurum, an important city on the ancient caravan route between Anatolia
and Iran, is noted for its praying kilims which are made bigger than those
woven in the other parts of Anatolia. Wolf track and wolf mouth motifs are
used as border pattern on these kilims. Tree of life design, which is also
one of the favorite pattern of Erzurum flat weavings, is used as a border
design and central motif, located in the center prayer arches. One can see
also double ended prayer niches.
SIVAS
Sivas, large town in the east part of Turkey, was once the important
center on the trade roads. Because of its mixed population, Sivas Kilims
show the influence of both etnique groups. Comparing to kilims woven in the
eastern Turkey, Sivas Kilims have lighter colors with the predominance of
bright red, orange, pale green, cream and white colors. Small prayer rugs,
safs are common. Large Sivas kilims, which have central or repeating
medallions, are finely woven and they use good quality of wool. Leaf and
wine motif is often used on the border of Sivas Kilims.
SIVRIHISAR
Sivrihisar, which is located in the west of Ankara, is noted for the
kilims which use series of vertically stacked prayer arches( known as bacalı
or chimney patter). Eli belinde patters is also quite common design on these
kimlims.
VAN KILIMS
Van, major town in the eastern part of Turkey, is noted for its high
quality kilims. It also acts an important marketing center for the Kurdish
tribes. Main composition of Van KIlims based on large Hooked or crenellated
diamond designs or on traditional banded patters using great deal of
geometric infill motifs. Van kilims have pallette of dark colors with the
predominance of red, blue, brown, green, yellow and white.
The products of two largest Kurdish tribes Herki and Hartushi are solld
in Van region. The weavers of Van use metallic thread a lot.
TURKISH KARABAG
The kilims, which have dark backgrounds in black or deep brown and big
floral patterns in reds, pinks and orange, are made in the Erzurum Region in
the last forty years known as Turkish Karabags. These kilims with big
flowers are influenced by Karabag Kilims of Caucasus. These kilims with
white and beige colored borders have long and narrow sizes.
AYDIN
Aydın, located in the western Anatolia, is noted for prayer arch kilims
and large kilims with two halves. Although Aydın kilims have some
similarities with Konya Kilims, they have more infill motifs and they look
busier then than Konya Kilims. Small squarish amblems repeated vertically ,
hooked motifs, large central medallions are typical for AYDIN Kilims. Some
Aydın Kilims are distinctive with long narrow central mihrap surrounded by
the series of strip like borders.
