Turkish Carpets
Our first stop at Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar was a carpet shop. Turkish carpets - also called Anatolian rugs - are a tradition going back to the thirteenth century. They are so treasured that any carpet more than 100 years old cannot be sold.
Our guide Erdinç introduced us to Peter, a former college professor who would show us how Turkish carpets are made. Peter took us to the upper level of the shop, where there were live demonstrations.
Silk Spinning
Each silkworm cocoon is made up of a single filament that can be nearly a mile long! The spinner placed the cocoons in hot water and used a brush to grab the ends of the silk filaments. Then he turned the spinning wheel to unwind the filaments from the cocoons, twisting hundreds of them together to make a single strand of silk yarn. Cloth woven from silk strands is very light and strong, great for parachutes and even Kevlar-like body armor.
Carpet Weaving
The weaver looped the colored yarn around the warp threads, tied a double knot, and cut it. She used a heavy iron comb to beat down the row of knots. Then she used special scissors to trim the ends of the yarn and create an even pile. It was slow, painstaking work.
The Finished Product
We were offered a seat and a beverage for this part of the “show.” Many different carpets were unrolled before us, each one more beautiful than the last. We learned that price is more dependent on the material and the number of knots per square centimeter than on the carpet dimensions. It was interesting to see traditional patterns from different regions of Turkey, and to feel the difference between wool, cotton, and silk fibers. We were amazed at how the carpets dramatically changed color when viewed from different angles, thanks to their natural nap. A well-made hand-knotted Turkish carpet can last 500 years or more!
Fortunately, Erdinç had informed Peter up front that we didn’t have a house to put a carpet in, so we weren’t pressured to buy one (although many friendly hints were dropped). I know these demonstrations were all part of a glorified sales pitch, but they were well done, and I enjoyed learning about this important Turkish tradition.
