Antique Erzurum Kilim Rug Old Anatolian Turkish Carpet

About the Item

This is an Eastern Anatolian Antique Kilim from the Erzurum region with a rare and beautiful color composition. Erzurum was once a key frontier town, used to defend Anatolia against many invasions, and was also an important point on the caravan route between Anatolia and Iran. Settlement began at an early date, but the town only gained prominence during the fifth century AD as a Byzantine fortress, which fell to the Arabs in the seventh century and was subsequently fought for by the Byzantines, Arabs, and Armenians until the Seljuk occupation of the late tenth century. An Ottoman town in the fifteenth century, it was taken by Russia in 1829, 1878, and between 1916 and 1918. In 1923 it was incorporated into Turkey. The climate is very severe in this mountainous region. In winter there is much snow, and the temperature averages -9°C (16°F), and in summer it seldom exceeds 20°C (68°F); as weaving is primarily a cold-weather occupation, it comes as no surprise to learn that many kilims were woven here. This town is particularly renowned for its prayer kilims, which are generally of a larger size than those from other regions of Anatolia, and more often than not have a green, or blue/green, field in the prayer arch. Few larger kilims were woven in this region. As there are a great number of Kurdish people in Erzurum and the surrounding area many Kurdish design characteristics are evident in the flatweaves, such as the wolf track or wolf mouth motif used as border designs. The tree of life motif also often forms one of the multiple borders characteristic of Erzurum kilims. Many prayer kilims were woven featuring the tree of life motif in the prayer arch and a double-ended prayer design can occasionally be found. Kars is another area where such compositions were sometimes woven. Byburt is a town situated close to Erzurum, but which never had the same strategic significance. Erzurum and Byburt kilims are very similar in design and coloring, and both are often dated. Some Byburt kilims, however, have a plant and flower motif that is not seen on Erzurum kilims. The colors are predominantly warm tones of green, blue/ green, yellow, ochre, apricot, brown, and red - overall a lighter palette than is found on other Kurdish weavings. They are made in medium to fine slitweave, a little on the loose side, and natural brown wool is often used for warps. This antique kilim is from a mountainous area in Erzurum, eastern Anatolia. The area has a very harsh climate with a lot of snowfall and severe cold in winter. For this reason, cold water, which is indispensable for making kilims, is plentiful, and kilims have been woven using high-quality threads. Surprisingly, this kilim is woven from a single piece, even though the width is over 180 cm. Nevertheless, this sophistication is a wonderful weave. The colors are chic throughout, and although Erzurum's population is mostly Kurdish, there's a lightness and smokiness that's a bit different from the typical Kurdish heaviness. The background color of the field and medallions is changed, and the uneven dyeing is unique. In addition, the appearance of flower-like motifs scattered inside the fields and medallions is very beautiful, and you can even feel a sense of space.

Dimensions:

Width: 71.66 in (182 cm)Length: 169.3 in (430 cm)

Style:

Kilim (In the Style Of)

Materials and Techniques:

Natural Fiber,Wool,Hand-Knotted,Hand-Woven

Place of Origin:

Turkey

Period:

Early 20th Century

Date of Manufacture:

circa 1900