ESME Vintage Kilim 130x90cm
Esme Vintage Kilim – A Mirror of Anatolian Symbolism
This hand-woven kilim originates from Esme, a small village in the Uşak province, where the art of weaving is deeply rooted in tradition. Its patterns are not merely decorative but full of meaning – a woven expression of protection, strength, and connection.
The Göz (Eye) symbolizes protection from negative influences, while Elibelinde, the stylized image of the cosmic mother, represents femininity and creative power. Bukagi (Fetter) represents constancy and loyalty, while the Koç (Ram's Horn) stands for strength and masculine energy – a powerful balance between protection and creation.
The color palette of soft green, warm red, ocher yellow, and deep black reflects the Anatolian landscape. The rhythmic alternation of patterns and geometric borders gives it strong visual dynamism.
Hand-woven from 100% sheep's wool, this Esme Kilim measures 130x90 cm – a unique piece that adds character and history to any room as wall art, a floor piece, or an expressive detail. A piece of Anatolian heritage, woven with symbols that connect past and present.
ESME Vintage Kilim 130x90cm
Wild Heart Free Soul
Kastanienallee 55
10119 Berlin
Germany
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- Unique Vintage Rug - only one piece in stock!
- Material: 100% high-quality, hand-spun sheep's wool
- Craftsmanship: Hand flat-woven on a traditional wooden loom
- Age: Vintage / Semi-antique. Circa 1960s
- Condition: Vintage in like-new quality due to extensive cleaning and restoration process
- Origin: Esme, Anatolia
- Dimensions: 130cm x 90cm, Height: 3mm
Anatolian kilims are far more than mere textile utility items – they are woven memories, personal messages, and an expression of lived culture. For generations, women from nomadic tribes and villages wove their wishes, hopes, and stories into the fabric – freely, intuitively, and full of symbolism.
This kilim, too, was woven in an Anatolian home – from the wool of their own sheep, shorn, washed, combed, and hand-spun. The dyeing of the yarns often utilized natural pigments from madder, reseda, walnut, or indigo – yet from the 1950s onwards, synthetic dyes increasingly found their way into the villages. The world became faster, more colorful – not every kilim remained purely plant-dyed. Many pieces from the 1960s and 1970s bear in their hues the traces of a cultural transition: between old and new, craft and modernity.
Weaving was a ritual act – accompanied by songs, stories, silence. Often, several women sat together at the loom: mother, grandmother, sister, neighbor. Every knot, every line, every symbol carried meaning – protection, fertility, connection, strength. Symbols like the eye (Göz), the cosmic mother (Elibelinde), or the scorpion became carriers of deep messages.
They were used, loved, passed down – and some of them slept for a long time in chests until they one day came back to light.
Today, we clean and restore these pieces with the utmost respect: washed with olive soap, dried in the Antalya sun, repaired in our Istanbul atelier.
Some pieces are with us for only a few months, others accompany us for years – because we never rush. Every kilim is restored with time, care, and respect. Some await the right restorer, the summer months to bathe in the sunlight – for their silent transformation back into a living work of art.
A kilim from Wild Heart Free Soul is not a product.
It is a legacy. A woven wish.
And perhaps a companion for your home of tomorrow.
A kilim is a long-lasting companion – if treated with love and cared for attentively, it can last for many more generations. It doesn't require elaborate care, but rather the right kind of care.
We recommend gently vacuuming or shaking out the kilim once or twice a month to remove dust and dirt. Please do not use a rotating vacuum cleaner for this; ideally, use a brush attachment or a gentle hand-held device. Too frequent, intensive vacuuming can wear out the fibers over time.
Every few months, it's worthwhile to turn the kilim over and vacuum the underside as well. Rotating the rug slightly once a year ensures even wear and maintains the balance in the weave.
For deep cleaning, we recommend professional hand washing every 3 to 5 years – using pH-neutral shampoo or olive soap, gently worked in by hand and thoroughly rinsed. Please never put your kilim in dry cleaning or steam cleaning – this would damage the fibers. If you need assistance in choosing a suitable cleaner, we will be happy to advise you. We work with experienced oriental rug specialists and are happy to pass on our special conditions.
And if an accident does happen: Dab fresh stains immediately with a clean, dry cloth. If necessary, you can carefully dab with a little olive soap and a slightly damp cloth – without rubbing, without soaking. For stubborn dirt, please consult a specialist directly. Liquid that spreads along the fibers can become permanently trapped, especially in flat weaves.
Dried food residues can usually be carefully scraped off or brushed out – preferably with a steady hand and without haste.