About Turkish Rugs

Origins

• The roots of Turkish rugs stretch back to nomadic tribes in Western Asia. As these tribes migrated, they began to weave textile products to help protect them from the region's extreme weather. They used goat hair, which was short, stiff and durable. Their woven materials served as tents, floor coverings and bedding. As the craft of weaving grew, the nomads produced many other woven products for everyday use, such as saddle bags, warm blankets, room dividers and baby cradles. They also developed pile rugs, adding mass to their simple weaves, and creating ground coverings that were soft and supple.

History

• Many of these nomadic tribes settled in Anatolia, or modern-day Turkey, in the late-11th and early-12th centuries; the region came under Ottoman rule by the 14th century. During this period, Turkish rug weaving flourished. Artisan weavers opened the first carpet workshops and created a wide variety of rugs, including exceptionally large ones, for royal palaces and wealthy homes. By the beginning of the 15th century, Turkish rugs could be found in castles, churches and homes across Europe and England. Today, Turkish rugs are still woven by village and tribal weavers throughout Turkey.

Materials

• Even though the earliest Turkish rugs were woven primarily with goat hair, rugs today are made from sheep's wool, cotton and silk. Sheep in higher altitudes and colder regions provide the best quality sheep's wool, while silk cocoons in Bursa are the most common source of silk used in Turkish rugs. While chemical dyes can be used to color the wool, the best dyes come from plants and other natural sources. The primary dye colors derived from plants include yellow, blue, brown, red and black.

Designs

• Turkish rugs from throughout history depict religious symbols and other designs. Even the early nomadic weavers threaded symbolic images into their woven products. Common designs centered on religious symbols, natural portraits, floral patterns and geometrical motifs. While designs varied by geographic region and by time period, some of the images shared meaning across time and culture, such as animal horns serving as a symbol of power. The designs on most modern Turkish rugs are determined more by market concerns than by artisan traditions.

Preservation

• While Turkish rugs are highly durable, proper care can help to ensure their preservation. To remove dirt and debris, use a traditional hand broom to regularly brush both sides of the carpet. You can also use a nozzle attachment on a vacuum cleaner for monthly cleanings. Using the vacuum cleaner more frequently or without the nozzle attachment can result in excessive wear to the rug. Turkish rugs should not be machine washed or dried. Instead, they require gentle hand cleaning, and they should be dried on a flat, undisturbed surface. With the proper care, hand-woven Turkish rugs can last for many years.