Description

The rug pictured here is probably a vintage kilim rug from Turkey. A kilim is a
handmade flat tapestry-woven carpet or rug, usually made in Turkey or countries
of the former Persian Empire. Kilim rugs are considered flatweave because they
are woven using only warp and weft threads (weft threads are winded around
pairs of warp threads creating a flat weave). In the tribal societies of Turkey, kilim
were woven by women at different stages of their lives. For example, they could
be woven before marriage or made for her children. In this particular rug, the
stage of life this rug relates to is not clear to us. However, there are certain motifs
in the rug’s design that have recorded meaning. In the second photo, a scorpion
motif (Akrep) is circled, a motif meant to protect the weaver against the danger of
scorpions. In the third photo, a comb motif (Tarak) is circled, which is largely
related with marriage and birth. It is used to express the desire for getting married
and to protect birth and marriage against evil eye.