12 Facts About Turkish carpet

Animal Turkish carpet, dated to the 11th–13th century, Museum of Islamic Art, Doha.

The Tekke tribes of Turkmenistan, living around Merv and the Amu Darya during the 19th century and earlier, wove a distinct type of Turkish carpet characterized by stylized floral motifs called guls in repeating rows.

Radiocarbon dating confirmed that the "Dragon and Phoenix" Turkish carpet was woven in the mid 15th century, during the early Ottoman Empire.

The earlier tradition of the Mamluk Turkish carpet used "S" spun and "Z" -plied wool, and a limited palette of colours and shades.

Carpet production began in Hereke in 1891 and expert Turkish carpet weavers were brought in from the Turkish carpet weaving centers of Sivas, Manisa and Ladik.

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However, the traditional, hand-woven, naturally dyed Turkish carpet is a very labour-intense product, as each step in its manufacture requires considerable time, from the preparation, spinning, dyeing of the wool to setting up the loom, knotting each knot by hand, and finishing the carpet before it goes to market.

Wool-on-wool Turkish carpet weaving dates back further and utilizes more traditional design-motifs than its counterparts.

The pile of the Turkish carpet is shorn with special knives in order to obtain an equal surface.

When touching a Turkish carpet, this creates a feeling similar to stroking an animal's fur.

Whilst Greeks and Armenians were involved in Turkish carpet weaving and trading in the past, no design motifs have been clearly associated with their distinct, Christian culture.

The Mevlana Museum in Konya has a large collection of Anatolian rugs, including some of the Turkish carpet fragments found in the Alaeddin and Esrefoglu Mosque.

The Konya-Selcuk Turkish carpet tradition makes use of a lean octagonal medallion in the middle of the field, with three opposed geometrical forms crowned by tulips.