Rug Cleaning Southend
Turkish Rug Cleaning
The art of weaving rugs and carpets was introduced in Turkey during the time of the Seljuk Empire around 11th century. The rug craft came first to Anatolia. 18 carpets and fragments have survived to present days and are known as Seljuk Origin fragments. Eight of these carpets were discovered in the Aladdin Mosque in the town of Konya – the former capital of Anatolian Seljuk. The oldest surviving Seljuk carpets are dated from the 13th –14th centuries.
Obviously, carpet weaving has long history and traditions in Turkey. The Turkish carpets are know as “Kilims” and they are one of the biggest competitors of Iranian (Persian) “Gelims”.
Turkish rugs have excellent quality and design. Both flat weaves and pile weaves are used. The rugs are mainly woollen as they appear to be used as protection from cold. Therefore they are more than an art – they are a way of life. The specialists determine the Turkish rug motifs as special language, developed by several generations. The weavers, mainly women, had used the carpets patterns for expression of their life, emotions and dreams. The rugs from different regions, though using different symbols, speak the same language… Sheep’s eyes, knifes and the “hands on hips” motif, a very old symbol denoting female fertility, are among the frequently seen motifs on the Turkish rugs.
Professional Rug Cleaning
Because of the extreme low temperatures in Anatolia and other regions, the Turkish rug craft was mainly focused on the weaving of woollen carpets (both from sheep and goats wool). Cotton threads are traditionally used as a foundation, while the pile is from wool spun yarns. There are samples of silk carpets as well, but woollen carpets are the traditional ones.
The traditional kilims are flat rugs. Their design is created by using weft threads with different colours. The woven technique used is very interesting as well: the two weft threads of different colours do not join or cross, thus forming slits between the wefts.
The quality of the wool used in Turkish carpets varies depending on the sheep breed, the climate and season of the shearing. Sheep flocks leaving in warm and dry places give wool with less strength and elongation possibilities. High quality wool is obtained from healthy and well-fed sheep, which leave in cold and wet regions.
Professional Rug Cleaning
Wool yarns are hand-spun by using primitive utensils called kirmen (drop spindle) and by spinning wheels. The yarns are died with natural dyes.
There are different places in Turkey where the craft of rug weaving is developed and have long traditions, to mention only: Antalya, Bergama, Hereke, Taspinar, Milas, kars, Kayseri, Yagcibedir, etc.
Turkmen carpets are variety of Turkish kilims. Turkmen is a Turkish clan, which lives today in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan as well as northern parts of Iran and Afghanistan. The art of Turkmen carpets descend from the Turkish artisans and there are several artefacts that the bigger and stronger Turkmen clans developed rug weaving in ancient times.
General pattern of Turkmen carpet shows no important evolution. It is considered that Turkmen motifs preserve in their primary static state, as the oldest carpet in the world, have the same weaving style: repetitive images on a single colour background.
If you are owner of a Turkish kilim, you may ensure its proper maintenance. Ask the sellers for details about cleaning and care as well as look for professionals in the field of carpet cleaning. This way a small keepsake of the Seljuk Empire will continue leaving at your home.
Professional Rug Cleaning
