TÜLÜ Angora Shaggy Rug 260x179cm

Long-pile rug made of high-quality sheep wool-mohair blend, hand-knotted in Anatolia.

Natural irregularities are characteristic of our handmade rugs.

• Material: 60% sheep wool from Afyon, 40% angora goat hair from Ankara, highest quality
• Workmanship: hand-knotted on a traditional, horizontal wooden loom
• Age: New
• Origin: Konya, Anatolia
• Size: 260x179 cm, Height: 1cm

Region of Origin

Anatolia makes up the majority of modern-day Turkey. Carpets from this region are characterized by their indigenous, geometric patterns - with many symbols reflecting 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 dating back to the Neolithic period. Over millennia, nomadic and village women have woven themes into their carpets that are meaningful to their lives. One of the main symbols is the figure of "Elibelinde", representing the Cosmic Mother and her creative feminine power. Other motifs represent wishes, such as for happiness and children, while others serve as protection against threats such as wolves, scorpions or the evil eye. Motifs were often combined when woven into patterns on kilims, thus acquiring multifaceted meanings. Thus, each carpet tells its own story in the form of woven poetry.

Production

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 using natural pigments or alizarin dyes. Each individual shade had to be dyed separately. By dyeing independently, the weaver could let her creativity run free and had control over the coloring. At the same time, the result was subject to a complex interplay of many factors, and thus a play of colors of different nuances of a hue always resulted. This shading in the yarn or in the finished kilim or carpet is called abrash. After the yarn was finished, the warp threads were stretched as tightly as possible over the warp beam of the wooden loom. Only then could the weaver begin weaving 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 production process often took several months, sometimes years, and was carried out either by a single weaver or by several women simultaneously. Often, grandmother, mother, sisters, other family members or neighbors 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. Especially 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 harmful substances. It has the property of self-cleaning and regenerating, 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 charge.

These positive properties are particularly proven 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 using the power of the sun.

Sun exposure and airing remove stubborn stains and discolorations, odors, moths and bacteria.

This intensive and natural cleaning process allows us to completely avoid 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 using a special technique so that the fabric 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.

MATERIAL

Sheep wool is a natural and very high-quality material. All our carpets are woven from hand-spun sheep wool yarn, which consists of long fibers and has a very high lanolin (wool fat) content. This makes the wool particularly dirt-resistant, water-repellent, and antibacterial.

Sheep wool is also a living material that becomes softer and shinier over the years with use and the influence of sun, air, and water. A material that ages beautifully, is absolutely environmentally friendly and free of pollutants, and cleans and regenerates itself.

CARE

With loving care and regular maintenance, a Wild Heart Free Soul kilim will look like new even after many years of use. True kilims can thus last for several generations.

Our kilims do not require much care, but they do need the right kind of care. A kilim should be regularly and carefully vacuumed or beaten out. Stains can almost always be removed with a slightly damp cloth. Dried food residues can be easily scraped off or brushed out.

A kilim should not remain wet for a long time, as this can cause it to warp. Therefore, we do not recommend washing it yourself. If you feel the need to wash your kilim, please contact a professional, trustworthy carpet cleaner or us. We offer all Wild Heart Free Soul customers discounted rates for carpet cleaning and restoration.