Vintage Malatya Kilim Rug Old Anatolian Turkish Carpet

About the Item

This is a South Eastern Anatolian old vintage Kilim from the Malatya region with a rare and beautiful color composition. Malatya is a town built on one main street that continues for several miles. It is situated in the Tohmasuyu River basin which is encircled by the high peaks of the eastern Taurus Mountains. This is a fertile agricultural region, particularly for apricots, and has been a prolific weaving area for many years. The modern town was established in 1838; old Malatya, which is close by, was once an important city in Armenia Minor. In Roman times it was important as a garrison town on the eastern frontier, and the settlement came under Ottoman rule in the early fifteenth century. Considering the number of kilims woven in this region there is a surprising lack of diversity in design, especially in the larger kilims; this is possibly a direct result of the Kurdish tribal tradition of weaving only one type of design. Small prayer rugs are more varied and often have great character and individuality. The quality of the kilims now woven in the region is deteriorating, and production for commercial purposes is slowly spreading into the villages. Large kilims generally feature three or four central medallions, while the smaller variety is usually decorated with one in the center. Some of these kilims have been referred to as 'Rashwan' weavings. The Rashwan was a Kurdish tribe that settled in parts of central and eastern Anatolia. These kilims are not easy to weave, for the designs are complicated and the filler motifs plentiful; indeed, their value has probably been underestimated by the market. Another variety of medallion kilim is also found in a smaller size and features a hexagonally shaped medallion with arms or hooks extending from the sides. This is used as a central motif arranged in a vertical line for smaller kilims, and for larger sizes, it is repeated in rows down the field. Such a motif is also found in Aksaray and Aleppo kilims, which have a lighter color palette. Banded kilims are borderless, and patterned with both narrow and wide alternating stripes. These are decorated with small motifs, often in supplementary weft-wrapping technique, and separated either by smaller patterned bands or by a plain color. Large sizes are made in two halves. As in other Kurdish weavings, a dark color palette of red, blue, brown, and some green is used that contrasts with undyed wool or bright white cotton. The wool is of good quality and lustrous, and sometimes very finely spun. Weaving techniques vary a great deal; some kilims incorporate both plain-weave and supplementary weft wrapping, although slitweave is predominantly used. The fringes of Malatya kilims are sometimes plaited. Many different sizes are found - large kilims, generally woven in two halves, small kilims, yastiks (cushions), and çuval (sacks).

Dimensions:

Width: 66.93 in (170 cm)Length: 153.55 in (390 cm)

Style:

Kilim (In the Style Of)

Materials and Techniques:

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

Place of Origin:

Turkey

Period:

Mid-20th Century

Date of Manufacture:

circa 1950