AFYON Vintage Kilim 325x200cm

• Unique Vintage Rug - only one available!
• Material: 100% high-quality, hand-spun sheep wool
• Craftsmanship: Hand flat-woven on a traditional wooden loom
• Age: Vintage / Semi-antique. Approx. 1960s
• Condition: Vintage in like-new quality due to elaborate cleaning and restoration process
• Origin: Afyon, Anatolia
• Dimensions: 325cm x 200cm, Height: 3mm

Region of Origin

Anatolia makes up most of present-day Turkey. Carpets from this region are characterized by their indigenous, geometric patterns – with many symbols that reflect the life of a traditional way of life in harmony with nature. The legacy of an ancient, schematic culture of the Turkic peoples, passed down from generation to generation in the form of weaving art.

Symbolism

In Anatolia, a variety of symbols and patterns were used in traditional kilims and carpets, with their origins in the Neolithic period. For thousands of years, nomadic and village women have woven themes into their carpets that are significant to their lives. One of the main symbols is the figure of "Elibelinde," which stands for the Cosmic Mother and her creative feminine power. Other motifs represent wishes, such as for happiness and children, while others serve to protect against threats such as wolves, scorpions, or the evil eye. Motifs were often combined when woven into patterns on kilims, thereby acquiring multi-layered meanings. Thus, each carpet tells its own story in the form of woven poetry.

Manufacturing

Our vintage kilims and carpets were made entirely by hand from the beginning of the 20th century until the 1970s. In the first step, the weaver sheared, washed, combed, and hand-spun the wool of her own sheep and goats into yarn.

Subsequently, the yarn bundles were dyed in an elaborate, manual process with pigments from nature or with aniline dyes. Each individual shade of color had to be dyed separately. Through independent dyeing, the weaver could let her creativity run wild and had control over the coloring; at the same time, the result was subject to a complex interplay of many factors, and thus a color play of different nuances of a color always resulted. This shading in the yarn or in the finished kilim or carpet is called abrash. After the yarn was finished, the warp strands were pulled as taut as possible over the warp beam of the wooden loom. Only then could the weaver begin to weave her kilim. Every motif, every symbol, every area was woven by hand with great love and patience until the finished kilim was created and the ends of the kilim were knotted and often adorned with elaborately braided fringes. The manufacturing process often took several months, sometimes years, and was carried out either by a single weaver or by several women simultaneously. Thus, grandmother, mother, sisters, other family members, or neighbors often sat at a loom at the same time and told each other stories or sang songs together while weaving. The weaving of a kilim served not only for the purpose of subsequent use, but the entire process was a ritual, a ceremony, a form of meditation and prayer, an expression of the weaver's emotions, and a medium to pass on the stories of past times in the form of woven poetry. 

Material

Wool is the most commonly used fiber in the production of Anatolian carpets. It is not only abundant in Turkey, but it is also a natural and very high-quality material. In particular, hand-spun wool has particularly long fibers and a high content of lanolin (wool grease). This makes it very durable, long-lasting, and antibacterial. 

Natural sheep's wool is a living material that, through the influence of sun, air, and water and through careful use, becomes softer and shinier over the years. A material that ages beautifully, is absolutely environmentally friendly and free of pollutants. It has the property of cleaning and regenerating itself, brings warmth, a good indoor climate, and pleasant room acoustics to every home. In addition, sheep's wool and goat hair have the property of grounding our bodies and dissipating negative electrostatic charges. 

These positive properties are particularly effective in large cities and when using electronic devices.

Cleaning and Restoration

The cleaning process of our vintage kilim carpets takes place cyclically and in harmony with nature. During the summer months, our carpets are first thoroughly washed with water and olive soap and then further cleaned for up to three months on our "Kilim Field" in Antalya with the power of the sun.

Sunbathing and airing remove stubborn stains and discolorations, odors, moths, and bacteria. 

Through this intensive and natural cleaning process, we can completely do without environmentally harmful chemicals or health-damaging anti-moth agents.

After sunbathing in Antalya, our kilims and carpets are mechanically dusted and then sent to Istanbul. In our atelier in the old town of Sultanahmet, each carpet is individually stretched into shape, the ends are re-knotted with a special technique so that the weave cannot come loose. Holes or discolored areas are re-woven true to the original. The complete cleaning and restoration process takes between six months and two years, depending on the kilim.

With loving and careful treatment, our kilims and rugs can last for many more generations. Our rugs don't require a lot of care, but they do need the right kind of care. We recommend regularly and carefully vacuuming or beating your rug to remove dirt and dust. Vacuuming your rug once or twice a month is sufficient. Excessive vacuuming can wear out the knots and fibers more quickly. If your vacuum cleaner has a suction attachment, use it instead of a rotating brush.

Every few months, you should flip your rug over and vacuum the back to remove dirt from the underside of the rug. It's also helpful to rotate your rug once a year to ensure even wear.

We recommend having your rug professionally hand-washed every 3 to 5 years. Please do not have it steam-cleaned or dry-cleaned – this will certainly damage the rug! Choose a rug cleaner that uses a pH-neutral shampoo or olive soap for hand-washing. The soap is worked into the rug by hand with a soft-bristled brush and then thoroughly rinsed out. If you have any questions or need assistance in choosing a rug cleaning service, please do not hesitate to contact us. We work with trusted oriental rug cleaners and restorers and can pass on discounted rates to our customers.

A stain, what now?
Dab the stain with a dry cloth until it is dry. If necessary, you can gently dab with a slightly damp cloth and a little olive soap. Please do not wash your rug yourself. If the stain does not come out, immediately contact an oriental rug specialist for cleaning. Adding a lot of liquid can make stain removal more difficult and even worsen them. This is because moisture spreads along the fibers and can get trapped in rugs with horizontal fibers (like flat weaves).

Dried food residues can be easily scraped off or brushed out.