“Cloth is so ordinary to us that people forget how important it is in human history”~
~ Dr. Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood, ancient textile authority, Leiden Museum of Ethnology.
The Turkish kilim is a handsome piece of textile with a very ancient pedigree. Kilims are handmade carpets made from natural materials, principally wool and organic colors. Those who appreciate kilims rave about their intricate tapestry weaving, the strong geometric designs and the restrained use of colors, typically in muted shades of red, brown, beige and blue. The example below is an early 19th century kilim from central Turkey that exhibits all of the above characteristics.
Kilims are among the oldest types of textiles in the archeological record. They date back to around 6,500 BC in an area in central Anatolia (present-day Turkey) known as Catalhoyuk. Of course, given the fragility of textiles, no intact kilims of that era have survived to modern times. But the carpet weaving tradition in Turkey has never stopped since those Neolithic days, and the design on modern kilims still bear fascinating images passed down the generations. In the case of the featured kilim, the highlight is the central band of stylized figures, identified as females in a seated posture, with their hands on their knees. The look of these figures is one of authority, with an air of royalty or divinity. Such images have a long history in Turkey as can be seen in the following clay figure dating to 8,000 years ago:
This statute is one of several found in Catalhoyuk through excavations by James Mellaart in the early 1960s. When it was found, its head and hand rest at the right side were missing. The current head and hand rest are modern replacements. Many archaeologists think that the figurine is an image of a “mother goddess”, the imprint of which is still seen in kilims made 8000 years later, testifying to the important position of women in Anatolia society as homemakers, productive laborers, wives and guiding mothers. The female imagery on the featured kilim honors that tradition, and offers a fascinating window into a deep time in the history of human civilizations.