Anatolian women’s carpet design motifs researched, registered

Motifs that have been designed by women on the world-famous Bünyan and Yahyalı carpets for centuries have been researched by the Kayseri Maturity Institute and their meanings have been registered.

The carpet looms found in almost every house in the Bünyan and Yahyalı districts of the Central Anatolian province of Kayseri have long been forgotten due to the emergence of factory-produced carpets and the greater involvement of women in business life.

A project named "Wedding of Knots" was prepared by the institute in order to register the carpet motifs to the country's collective memory and to pass them down to the next generations.

A team of six people researched the types of motifs and their meanings in carpets woven in Yahyalı and Bünyan for two years within the scope of the project.

Some 24 motifs were recorded as a result of the research.

History teacher Zühtü Ulusoy, who worked in the research unit of the institute, said that carpet and rug weaving is the national art of Turks.

Ulusoy said that for centuries young girls and women have processed their feelings, thoughts, fears and expectations on the carpets.

Noting that these feelings are sometimes expressed with a tree, sometimes with flowers or a symbol, Ulusoy also stated that they learned that the historical carpets were sold for 200 liras as wood in Bünyan.

Pointing out that Pazırık carpet, known as the oldest carpet in the world, is woven with a Turkish knot, he said that carpet weaving tradition of Turks dates back 2,500 years ago.

"Other nations want to claim this [Pazırık carpet], but the fact that the weavings are Gördes Turkish knot shows that the carpet is Turkish carpet. It is also another indication that the...