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Turkish Rugs

What are Turkish Rugs?

Turkish rugs are a type of Oriental rug woven in Turkey and are often referred to as Anatolian.

Weaving was most likely brought to Turkey by a nomadic people called the Seljuks from Central Asia. By the 15th and 16th centuries the Seljuks were conquered by the Ottomans. Rugs from the Ottoman empire were imported to Europe by Italian traders in the late Middle ages. Most Europeans thought of Oriental rugs as Turkish carpets until the 17th century when Persian rugs appeared. During the 16th and 17th centuries Turkish carpets were depicted in famous paintings including several by the Venetian painter Lorenzo Lotto and Hans Holbein. These popular types of rugs were nicknamed Lotto and Holbein carpets respectively.

Materials & Designs Used in Turkish Rugs

Turkish rugs are woven with Turkish knots. They are typically made with wool piles on wool, goat hair or cotton foundations. Silk or mercerized cotton can also be found in certain handmade Turkish rugs. Geometric designs and rich colors are generally found in Turkish carpets while antique prayer rugs are also quite common. Similar to Iran, formal style Turkish carpets are woven in workshops and factories while less uniform rugs are woven in villages.

Nomads and villagers weave less sophisticated traditional patterns, while formal styles are created in workshops and factories similar to Iran. See our Guide to Persian Rugs for more information on Iranian rug weaving. There are many types of Turkish rugs typically named for the city or region from which they are woven similar to Persian carpets. The most popular of these types include Bergama, Hereke, Ghiordes, and Oushak among others. Shop our one of a kind selection of antique Turkish rugs for sale at JessiesRugs.com.
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