THE PATTERNS OF TURKEY

As we journey to Turkey, we are met with rich color, massive structures, intricate patterns, and an air of delicacy all rolled into one. Patterns in Turkish architecture and design, like most Islamic art, utilize mathematics in the form of repeating geometric shapes to convey religious ideas and the essence of things. Woven textiles, however, combine symbols and motifs to create patterns that tell stories and offer hidden meaning. This art form has been used over the years as a form of communication, relaying ideas and myths and thus offering us a more personal glimpse into Turkish society.

One of Turkey’s prized art forms is the kilim, a flatwoven carpet made by tightly interweaving the warp and weft strands to achieve a flat surface with no pile. Kilims have been produced since ancient times and are common not just in Turkey (Anatolia and Thrace) but North Africa, the Balkans, the Caucasus, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Central Asia and China. They are primarily composed of wool, sometimes integrating cotton, for these fibers offer just the right suppleness and durability, ease and readiness to take dye that is needed to create an heirloom carpet. Other fibers a bit rarer but sometimes used include hair from goats, camels or horses, as well as silk, which is still used in the Kayseri Province of Central Anatolia, Turkey. The kilims are striking not just in their rich, vivid colors but the myriad of patterns and motifs that unlock the key to everyday life in this region.

Throughout history, women have been the designers and makers of these beautiful flatwoven carpets, as men have traditionally been the nomadic hunters and protectors. But the story of the craft does not stop there. Women have used the weaving of kilims to express themselves, their happiness, sorrow, hopes, and fears. Most designs have their roots in the indigenous, pre-Islamic background of the region and reflect the practices and beliefs of the rural groups and the events surrounding their lives. The motifs used are similar in range but there are many variations, as unique and varied as the women who created them. Their stories tell of love, fertility, and heroism; they serve as reflections on nature and even express a desire to ward off evil. Each kilim has such symbolism and each weaver’s story can be unlocked if we take the time to read into the motifs and patterns.

The women of Anatolia continue to create wovens almost as an extension of themselves. And this is what we find just so interesting about these textiles and so inspiring for our own personal spaces. In simple ways we can take their lead and bring decor into our homes that is a reflection of ourselves, our hopes, values, and even beliefs. Be it through color, the addition of artwork, or even a woven tapestry like a Turkish kilim, a home that reflects its inhabitants is as true and authentic as they come.