USAK Vintage Kilim Rug

• Unique Vintage Rug - only one available!
• Material: 100% high-quality, hand-spun sheep's wool
• Craftsmanship: Flat-woven by hand on a traditional wooden loom
• Age: Vintage / Semi-antique. Approx. 1960s
• Condition: Vintage in like-new quality due to extensive cleaning and restoration process
• Origin: Çal, Anatolien
• Dimensions: 348cm x 213cm, 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 heritage of an ancient, schematic culture of the Turkic peoples, which has been 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, whose origins lie in the Neolithic period. For 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", which represents 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 they were woven into patterns on kilims, giving them 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.

The yarn bundles were then dyed in a laborious, manual process using natural pigments or alamine dyes. Each individual shade of color had to be dyed separately. By dyeing independently, the weaver could let her creativity run free and had control over the coloring, but at the same time the result was subject to a complex interplay of many factors and thus there was always a play of colors of different nuances of a hue. 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 manufacturing process often took several months, sometimes years, and was carried out either by a single weaver or by several women at the same time. Often, grandmothers, mothers, 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 whole 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. Not only is it abundant in Turkey, 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 harmful substances. It has the ability to clean and regenerate 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 prove particularly beneficial 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. In 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.

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

This intensive and natural cleaning process allows us to completely avoid environmentally harmful chemicals or health-damaging moth repellents.

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 weave cannot unravel. 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 treatment and careful maintenance, our kilims and carpets can last for many more generations. Our carpets do not require a lot of care, but they do need the right kind of care. We recommend that you regularly and carefully vacuum or beat your carpet to remove dirt and grime. It is sufficient to vacuum your carpet once or twice a month. Too frequent 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 turn your carpet over and vacuum the back to remove dirt from the underside of the carpet. It is also helpful to rotate your carpet once a year to ensure even wear.

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

A stain, now what?
Blot the stain with a dry cloth until it is dry. If necessary, you can dab with a very slightly damp cloth and a little olive soap. Please do not wash your carpet yourself. If the stain does not come out, contact an Oriental carpet specialist immediately 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 carpets with horizontal fibers (like flat weaves).

Food residues can be easily scraped off or brushed out once they have dried.