Decor_OcakSubat_2019

In Sivas carpets, it is understood that 25x35, 30x30, 35x35,
40x40 40x50 and 50x50 knot numbers were used in 10x10 cm.
According to this information, the number of knots per square
meter varies between 87500 and 250000. It was determined
that the carpets were woven by Turkish knot technique.
It is seen that the motifs are placed in these sections by
dividing the carpets in rectangular or rhombus shapes. In the
region they are called as “tahta – *board*“. Since each board
is coloured with a different colour, they create contrariness. In
the carpets of Sivas region, geometric and symbolic motifs can
also be weaved besides the vegetal and animal motifs.
The fine frame of the carpets is being decorated with the
motifs with geometric characteristics such as six-armed stars,
(S) folds, rhombus, and ram’s horn patterns as well. And it is
also possible to see triangle shaped motifs and round shaped
flower motifs which are weaved one reverse and one plain
just as it is seen in saw tooth shape as well. Large frames
are being decorated with the motifs of round shaped flowers,
geometric motifs, sycamore leaves, bird motif, amulet, ram’s
horn, curl patterns, (S) shaped motifs. The ground of the carpet
is called with-mihrab or without-mihrab. The mihrab gradually
rises by becoming narrow in height and ends with an ALEM
(Metal Finial) motif or HANDS ON HIPS motif at the top. It is
adorned with colourful flowers on top of the mihrab (on the
corners of it), or oil lamps hanging down from the mihrab corners.
The inner boundaries of the mihrab are decorated with
small flowers. In some examples, it is seen that the mihrab
steps are decorated with hook-shaped motifs.
On the carpets without mihrab, the ground is decorated with
different colours, eight-armed and six-armed stars, patterns
similar to the (U) and (V) shapes, ram’s horn motifs and floral
patterns. In some of the carpets, the ground is filled with three
or four square shaped vertically positioned centres. Each
square is divided into three horizontally placed sections, the
middle part of which is decorated with tree of life and patterns
called hands on hips, (S) shaped folds or “dancing / burning
frog motifs”. In general, the centres are separated from each
other by an eye motif or zigzag patterns.
In Sivas carpets, the ground of the centres is adorned with
three / six pieces of aligned square-shaped panels in a single
row, in some it is also adorned with twelve / eight pieces of
aligned square-shaped panels rising in a single row. The inside
of the panels are decorated with vegetal patterns, saw tooth,
amulets, earrings, scorpion motifs and ornaments resembling
arrowheads.
There are also ornamented with oriental motifs similar to
three or six pieces of eight-pointed star motifs placed vertically
on the centres of the Sivas carpets. The areas outside the centres
are usually decorated with stylized flowers, stylized (T) motifs
and slanted (S) shaped burning figures. In some carpets,
the ground is filled with six rhombus shaped centres arranged
on top of each other, and sometimes the areas outside the
centres are decorated with eye and (S) shaped sign (im) motifs.
The ground of the centre or the lake (the middle of the carpet)
is decorated with geometric or vegetal patterns. There are also
examples where all these are presented together.
24 DECOR • January - February 2019