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HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE MEANING OF TURKISH HAND-MADE CARPET DESIGNS?-
Many years ago during one of my researches I had deciphered some seventy-six designs used on Turkish Carpets throughout history.Each one is symbolic of something related with the area where the carpet was produced.For example the picture shown above belongs to a carpet from Sivas,Zara region of the 19th.century.It is a prayer carpet with the niche to be placed in the direction of Kaaba;the House of Allah in Mecca,Saudi Arabia.As marked in the bordure we can see ''Running Water''symbolizing ''Abundance'' as well as ''Elibelinde=Hands on Hips'' symbolizing the ''Anatolian Women''.These women work very hard on the fields raising crops which is shown here with a ''Spike''in the middle.Star is widely used representing ''The True North''assisting sailors to find their ways at nights.Below that is a ''Çarkıfelek=Wheel of Fortune''for good luck and a ''Dragon''appears within the inner bordure as a legendary monster.
It is high time that the Turkish Government should be more sensitive to our National Heritage.There are global companies who claim the name of one of our towns like ''Zara'' to be their brand name.Zara carpets existed ever since Marco Polo was returning to Venice from China in 1274.The one we have here is from the 19th.century.The Chinese have organised a village in China and by naming this town ''Hereke''they started producing ''Hereke''carpets there.So if we do not pay sufficent attention and lose our ''Brand Names'';to me that is like betraying our ancestors hard work and we wıll be unable to face our past generations in the day of judgment.
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The above picture shows us a beautiful Avanos 19th.century carpet from Cappadocia.Here we also have Wheel of Fortune,Hands on Hips and a Star which I explained with the first carpet.Then we have an interesting ''Tree of Life''depiction in the center which takes us to the story between Allah,Adam and Eve in Paradise.Then we see a ''Comb''which is used by the lady while beating the carpet with an iron comb in order to have an evenly presentable carpet.The ''Bird'' that came back with an olive branch at the time of Noah's flood and the''Eyes''that saw it coming while the ''Hands''were open to the sky praying to find a place to land.Avanos today is also a very famous center for pottery making.
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Ancient Iconium is todays Konya.St.Paul passed through Iconium three times during his three missionary journeys.Konya has always been one of the bread baskets of Turkish Republic.Another Central Anatolian city;Konya;has always been a very important center for Hand-Made Turkish Carpets.This 19th.century carpet depicts ''Amulets''for protection against the evil eye as well as ''Ewers'' for ablution at times of water shortage and finally ''Tulips'' reminding us the tulips which were taken to Amsterdam in 1555 by two Dutchmen.Tulips and carnations are known to be flowers of İstanbul originally.
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In some paintings of Hans Holbein,the 16th.century German painter we see Bergama carpets being called ''Holbein Carpets''.He used them as part of the decor.Here we see ''Rose'' design being used for showing one's love to another;''Apple Blossoms'' showing the ''April Love'' and finally the ''Key'' to ones heart.
İstanbul,Türkiye 07 January 2018 19:45 local time