Expert Hali - Carpet Cappadocia Turkey

All of our rugs are hand made by skilled artists using the finest quality materials and traditional designs. Rugs are regional. Different regions produce different deigns based on available dyes, materials, types of looms, and patterns handed down through generations of weavers in each village.

KAYSERI: Kayseri is one of the three important districts in Anatolia where large size wool on cotton carpets for halls are produced. The warp and the weft is cotton, the knots are wool. Representing the continuation of the first examples of palace carpets, the origins of their designs date back to the period of Seljuk. Seljuk carpet weaving reached its peak in 13th and 14th centuries within caravans carried their carpets to Byzantium and the far west as the east west trade route passed through Anatolia. This district has remained a carpet weaving center for centuries. Just as in all other centers, Kayseri also has its unique patterns and colors.

KONYA LADIK: Marco Polo wrote that the most beautiful carpets he had ever seen were those in the districts of Konya, Kayseri and Sivas. Old Turkish miniatures often depict foreign envoys being presented to the Sultan as they stand on the medallion of carpet lying before the throne. These carpets are still woven today with the same beauty. The warp and weft is cotton and their knots are wool. They are among the most durable carpets owing to their dense weaving and usually decorated with medallion and floral motifs.

HEREKE: Ottoman Sultans transported one of the carpet weaving center distinguished for its superior craftsmanship to the Marmara coast. The Hereke carpet workshops were thus established in 1891 to weave carpets produced there have been among the finest examples in the history of carpet weaving.

Both carpet and fabric weaving crafts advanced to such an extent that fabric weaving for Ottoman sultan’s dresses and the internal decorations of the place as well as the carpets decorating the palace floors began to supplied exclusively from these workshops. A mutual exchange of motifs and designs between the carpet and fabric weavers also developed. This process led to an integrity of motifs in Hereke. The quality of weaving was also under the control by the sultans. Hereke carpets are decorated with the most beautiful motifs, pointing to the continuity of the Ottoman culture in which love of nature has a special significance. Their patterns, emerging from infinity, Come into the carpet through one border and then go out through another, disappearing again into infinity. Naturel flowers and bouquets are permanent patterns in Hereke carpets.

KAYSERI SILK: Kayseri is one of the important centers for processing Bursa silk. The centuries old tradition of carpet weaving has created the best quality, pure silk carpets in Kayseri. Owing to its location right in the center of Anatolia and at the crossroads of trade routes, this district has the highest level of trade and artistic interaction with the east. As Tabriz motifs can be found in Kayseri carpets, countless Turkish motifs have been passed onto Persian carpets via Kayseri.

HEREKE SILK: In 1891 carpet masters called in from Gordes, Demirci and Sivas by Ottoman Sultans, began to work at the workshops established in Hereke. These masters thought their carpet weaving skills to the villagers in the area, thereby transforming the district of Hereke into an important carpet weaving centre. Palace carpets and those to be presented as gifts to foreign statesmen began to be loomed there. These high quality carpets, woven in Bursa silk, are the most prized carpets in the world today. They have an average of 100 knots to the cm2. The warp and weft as well as the knots are in pure silk, decorated with patterns of the most beautiful flowers (1001flowers) of nature, such as roses, carnations and tulips.

FINE SILK CARPETS HEREKE : The designs and motifs of fine Hereke fine carpets are products of a 100 year old craft. Some Hereke carpets, which have 225-289-324 and more knots to the square centimeter, have an immeasurable value. These masterpieces of art, produced as a result of years of work by unknown craftsmen, are among the carpets most sought after by collectors. As each one is unique and original it is very difficult to find the second one of the same type. These silk paintings woven in Hereke, a source of pride for Turkey, are so beautiful that the world’s artists can only envy. For silk itself is a symbol of nobility and, combined with such fine work, these carpets justifiably preserve the title of ‘’the most precious carpets in the world’’.

YAGCIBEDIR : These carpet have been woven since the 14th century in Bergama, which is known as a very famous weaving district. Documents show that Bergama carpets kermes insect and indigo dye were sold in Istanbul in the 15th century. Dark red and navy blue colors and silk fine wool are still used in Yağcıbedir carpets today. Eagle star and cone are some of the most common motifs. They are thin carpets with short piles, relief's and clear-cut patterns.

MILAS : Carpets have been woven in the Milas district since centuries. Origins of some motifs go back to Ottoman times. Milas is also an important tobacco growing center in the Aegean region. Tobacco leaf is used to make vegetable dyes. Dominant colors of these carpets usually contain a mosque niche, are dark yellow and light brown . A high quality, hand spun, silky fine wool is used in warp and weft as well as knots. With its pastel colors, its is a very decorative carpet.

DOSEMEALTI : People of Döşemealti who live on the skirts of the Taurus mountains are the most interesting carpet weavers in Anatolia. Döşemealtı carpet, which have a long tradition of weaving, look like a panorama of motifs. Usually dyed in red, navy blue and white colors, the most frequently used motifs in these carpets are camel and scorpion.

YAHYALI : Anatolian women and girls transpose all their feelings and thoughts onto their carpets by transforming the knots into motifs and attributing certain meanings to each one of them. Yahyalı carpets are no exception. One of the most important carpet weaving centers in Cappadocia, Yahyali’s weavers use deep color like dark red and dark blue. These carpets are renowned for a balanced distribution of motifs, their unique wool and quality craftsmanship. Natural dyes used in Yahyalı are those produced from wine leaves, wild mint, walnut shell and buck torn.

TASPINAR : Typical to central Anatolia, Taşpınar carpets have radiant colors in beautiful harmony. As in all other carpets, weavers use natural local dyes here. Dominant colors are indigo blue, brick red and red brown. Woven in wool that is sheared during the spring season, Taşpınar carpet are among the most beautiful carpets of Anatolia. They may have one niche as well as two.

KARS : Kars carpets are among the quality carpets woven on high planes of north east Anatolia. In this district, with a long tradition of carpet weaving, it is very common and traditional to use the eagle motif. Shepp, which live here usually have black or brown, coarse, thick wool. Consequently Kars carpets contain original colors of this local wool. Today they are among the popular carpets owing to their quality, strength and durability, due to their weaving method.

NIGDE KARS : The Aksaray district is an important carpet production center. The 13th century Arab travelers wrote that the carpets of this district were exported to Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Iran, India and China. Still preserving its significance, a different version of Kars carpets have been produced in Niğde. The weaving method there has added some softness to these carpets, which are popular also for their pastel colors.

SIRVAN : Containing unique and rich motif composition, these carpets are all geometrically patterned. The most common motif used are those of charm, fertility and productivity. They are among the quality nomadic carpets and are as multi-colored as all other nomadic carpet.

OUSHAK/UŞAK : Oushak carpets also known as “Holbein Carpets “ are the carpets that greatly influenced painters of the Renaissance era. They were made for being used palaces and thousands of mosques through out Anatolian villages due to their high durability. Now they are recreated in our workshops.

TURKMEN : Origin is Türkmenistan but woven in our workshops by lambs wool in different tones of rust colors using Turkish double knots.