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PART IV
THE DESIGNS USED IN HANDMADE
CARPETS AND THEIR MEANINGS
The designs on handmade carpets are much like
proverbs, that is, a result of cultural accumulations through the
years. Every design and colour in a carpet has a special
interpretation. If the salesman is well informed about these
designs and their interpretations he is able to make the carpet
more attractive and more interesting for the potential customer.
Many customers themselves will be interested in knowing the
language of the carpet.
The culture of carpets has its rich origin in the
Nomadic Turkish nations. Before man learned to write, he expressed
his feelings and thoughts by using figures and symbols. These
efforts eventually led to writing. Designs that were originally
drawn on walls were then embroidered onto carpets which became a
permanent part of households.
During the passage of time the input by various
cultures led to the rich variety of design’s seen in today’s
carpet weaving.
These Nomadic Turks originated from the Middle Asia
and their tribes spread to China, India, Afghanistan, Persia, the
Arabian World, Andalusia in Spain, over Russia to the Caucasus,
over Anatolia to Europe and, according to one hypothesis to
America. Always they carried their art and culture with them and
traces of the Nomadic Turks can be seen in Aztek art, in Ying and
Yang of China and in the tulips of the Seljuks.
In the designs, traces of Shamanism, Buddhism,
Zorastrianism, Christianity, Judaism and Islam can be seen. The
distinction between Shiism and Sunnism and the artistic trends of
various eras can also be felt.
Furthermore, the colours used to make up the designs
are important. The colours displayed in the carpet are
characteristics of the region of its origin The weaver expresses
her feelings through certain colours. For example, red symbolizes
love, green desire, blue nobility, black mourning, yellow soil and
abundance.
Throughout the world designs generally have the same
meaning and although some small differences exist the designs can
generally be interpreted as follows :
PART V
SOURCES OF VEGETABLE DYES
PLANTS
PLANT COLOUR
PART OBTAINED
-Madder
root red
-Madder
fruit purple
-Grapevine
leaf yellow-green
-Saffron
leaf yellow
-Pomegranate
skin bright yellow-dark
brown
-Spurge
branch-leaf yellow-brown-green
flower-stem
-Tumeric
root yellow
-Garden
thyme
leaf beige-gray-light
green
-Daisy
flower bright yellow-brown
-Dyer’s
weed
root-fruit khaki-yellow-biege
cinnamon
-Terebinth
berry root-skin
yellow
-Walnut
root-skin-leaf brown
-Straw
stem yellow
-Broom
flower yellow
-Sea
sumac branch-leaf
yellow
-Indıgo
leaf dark blue
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