What is Kilim ?
Most probably, the weaving artefact is the first invention
of human beings, made to be used for the most basic items of utility, up to
the most prestigious artefact, for a simple decoration or symbolic tribal
identity. Flatweaves, certainly began with the simplest method of interlacing
of vegetable or animal fibres. Men widening his field, while passing from
hunting to food-picking and from unicolor to multiple colour weaving, thanks
to new materials for weaving and colouring, with new weaving techniques. Men
enlarging his vision with the crossing of other cultures, the kilim became a
matter of competition between tribes and families for self-identification.
The nomad's world is reflected from the most sensitive up to most archaic
details in the colours and the designs of the kilims. The nomads of Anatolia
have cleverly combined the qualities of utility and the embellishment of the
habitats and the way of living within their woven artefacts. Serving as
protection against freezing cold, rain, snow, and burning summer heat. Using
their kilims as floor coverings, as blankets, as tent walls for the division
of private rooms to preserve family life. Kilims were indispensable elements
for praying, religious and civil ceremonies. The flatweaving technique has
also permitted to nomads to weave strong and very decorative bags to store
and to transport cereals, personnel and tribal belongings, food and clothing.
Bands to attach or decorate the tents, to tie the bags on to the animals
while moving one step to another.With such simple needs and using very
primitive looms they managed to develop various and authentic weaving
artefacts which we know today as kilims.
Like most pretended kilim connoisseurs on their web sites,
I could write several pages about kilims, especially about Anatolian kilims.
Instead, I want to make you to feel and get in touch with the real kilims,
and let them come to you, as it came across from the centuries with its own
perception, tang, language and mysticism. The kilims in my collection were
selected with the severe! education of these ancient Anatolian sayings. Which
is almost the summery of my curriculum vitae: To be a connoisseur “one
must be born on a kilim, and brought up breathing the wool perfumed with
vegetable colours.” & “Come
and see me with the kilim you have made (woven),
says the future bride to the groom, to make me believe that
you are mature” (ability-skilful- abt for
marriage).
In spite of the remarkable diversity of designs, ethnic,
tribal, regional and religious differences, all kilims of Anatolia have a
common tongue, with fascinating visual expressions, reflected by the eternal
vales in between weft and warp on the stage of geometrical forms,
orchestrated with vegetable dyed notes. All these combinations and with their
fascinating adaptability, made the nomads of Anatolia to create pieces to cut
the breath. Certainly there is a kilims in my collection which will take you
to the past, while making you to enjoy the present and company you to the
future, with their joy and inexpressible visual expressions.
While exploring the kilims exposed, If you did not find one
to talk to and if you really wish to find one, just contact me to obtain an
enter code, to see more old kilims (non exhaustive). I Just do not want to
divulge my collection. Only want to share the last survivors of real old
Anatolian kilims with the people who are interested. By now, you certainly
remarked my difference: Because “DETAILS MAKE MY
DIFFERENCE". And the truths
are hidden in details.
14000 BC up to 21st century
The weaving process was developed in different parts of the
world at various eras. At first, the historians admitted the sheep’s
domestication 9000 BC as birth period for the weaving art. According to
fragments of kilims found in EGYPTE 1500 BC In SOUTH AMERICA 2600 BC at
CATALHÖYÜK in TURKEY 6500 BC at last in TURKMENISTAN, are estimated to 14000
BC. This means the Bronze Age. For sure, kilim art reserve more surprises in
the future. Each discovery is still enlarging our vision and enriching our
culture in 21st century as it did in 14000 BC.
The embellishment of kilim art began with the big migration
of nomads from the Tibet towards Anatolia (375 AD-11th century). In addition,
began to be sophisticated with expansion of Muslim faith. Islam religion has
given nomads, and the settled tribes, a system of existence coining the
homeland traditions to the new land with their skills and practices of
pre-Muslim past, and weaving art riched to its zenith during Safavid, Seljuk,
Mameluke and Ottoman empires periods. Besides providing comfort, Kilims took
a form of family and tribal wealth as well as the jewellery, herd, flock and
horses. In case of sudden need of commodity or crisis, could be sold or
exchanged for currency in main bazaars near by. The weaving art has always
been a female work, and part of a women’s daily round of occupation
during the encampment or house holding. It was a duty more likely to start
and stop as she desires, rather than continuous work. Particularly young girls,
young women and their families would improve their skilfulness and standing
for their marriage, as kilims consisted the most important part of the
bride’s dowry, insuring a source of wealth for her future family. Each
marriage within the same or different tribe was an instrument of
rapprochement between tribes or families, enforcing their financial and
commercial situation, up to unification of their forces rather than forming
just a new couple. As weaving art was an unavoidable part of education, the
future brides learned from their mothers and other members of the tribe, they
most probably created their masterpieces with a sense of pride, duty and
love. Adding their personal inspiration, with a fear of not being unable to
realise a kilim, which should bring out not only her messages that she wants
to awake in her entourage, or to someone to make her dreams come true.
Enriching the designs and patterns transmitted from generation to generation.
Spiriting in it totems of her superstition beside the familial, tribal and
regional ones. Like good luck and fertility, ensuring the continuity of
tribal identity. With the worry to create a dowry of quality. That is why
this art, named kilim, created with rules and guidelines, has a visual
eloquent able to communicate with anyone in any language.
As mentioned above, I do not wish to talk too much, but for
fear to forget a detail, and the worse is, when you live in kilim and kilim
in you, it is rather difficult to behave oneself. Nothing else could expire
such a feeling better than “each time I look at this
kilim, it tells me to eat it” saying used by
young girls for the kilims that they want to keep for their dowry... The rest
of the story will be told to you, while you looking at my collection.
Certainly there is one kilim, which will whisper to you “eat
me”.
Long existence quick disappearence
So far, the type of kilims similar to the ones above had been made until late
19th century (1860). The infiltration of synthetic dyes at first, then the industrial
Revolution ! Activated unmitigated disaster for tribal artefacts
especially for kilims. By the end of 1st World War, the indigenous vegetable
dying process had been almost entirely taken over, and the expansion of using
pre-dying machine spun yarns had degenerated, not only the weaving technique
but also the weaving quality of Anatolian kilims.For sure, these radical
changes brought facilities and rapidity for production, but took away the
greatness of old kilims, it wasn’t just the creation of superlative
weaving and ability of the person of the past, but also from her
extraordinary selection of material and preparation of washing, combing,
spinning and dying, she was therefore able to obtain the qualities needed to
make amazing colour combinations, because of her intimate participation in
the different periods of processing. She was now able to create with her
heart and soul.
- Anatolya, 9 Rue de
la Boëtie,
33000 Bordeaux -
- 05 56 52 55 56 - Contact -
