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Carpet weaving is one of the most ancient crafts
in Turkey, and for centuries, women have played a pivotal role
in their creation.
Historically, the Turks were among the earliest carpet weavers.
According to the Lonely Planet Guide, the earliest known carpet
utilizing the double knotted Gordes style dates between the
4th and 1st centuries BC. It is believed that the Seljuks
introduced carpet-weaving techniques into Anatolia in the
12th century.
Marco Polo notes in his travel diaries that Konya, the Seljuk
capital, was the center of carpet production in the 13th century.
Nomadic tribes as floor coverings in their tents have used
carpets and kilims, rugs without a knotted pile. They provided
comfort, warmth as well as decor.
Village women have woven carpets for family use. A daughter
had a greater chance of marrying if she was a skilled weaver
and would offer carpets as part of her dowry to her future
husband. She would take great care in the dyeing and hand
spinning of wool and in the selection of designs and motifs,
some of which were related to her daily life and tribal culture.
Our group stopped here to see how carpets are produced.
This semi-private company receives substantial support from
the Turkish government and was established in 1960.
Carpets are different from kilims because they are knotted
rather than flat woven. They can be made from wool and silk.
Notice that the weavers use a pattern for the rug design.
They must follow every intricate detail, leaving them no room
for error. Silk carpets, particularly those from Kayseri in
Anatolia have as many as 600,000 knots per square meter.
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