TÜLÜ Angora Shaggy Rug 254x174cm

Anatolian flat-woven kilim rug made of sheep's wool. Woven from recycled wool from old kilims.

Natural irregularities are characteristic of our handmade vintage rugs.

• Material: 100% hand-spun sheep's wool, highest quality
• Workmanship: Flat-woven by hand on traditional, horizontal wooden loom
• Age: New
• Origin: Manisa, Anatolia
• Size: 169x125 cm, Height: 3mm

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 a traditional way of life in harmony with nature. This is the legacy of an ancient, schematic culture of Turkic peoples, passed down from generation to generation through the art of weaving.

Symbolism

In Anatolia, a variety of symbols and patterns were used in traditional kilims and carpets, with origins dating back to the Neolithic period. For millennia, nomadic and village women have woven themes significant to their lives into their carpets. 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 like wolves, scorpions, or the evil eye. Motifs were often combined when woven into patterns on kilims, acquiring multi-layered meanings. Thus, each carpet tells its own story in the form of woven poetry.

Production

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

Subsequently, the yarn bundles were dyed in an elaborate, manual process using natural pigments or alanine dyes. Each individual shade had to be dyed separately. By dyeing independently, the weaver could unleash her creativity and control the color scheme. At the same time, the result was subject to a complex interplay of many factors, always leading to a play of different nuances of a single color. 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 its ends 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. Grandmothers, mothers, sisters, other family members, or neighbors often sat at a single loom, telling each other stories or singing songs together while weaving. Weaving a kilim served not only for its 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 stories of the past 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. Hand-spun wool, in particular, has particularly long fibers and a high lanolin (wool grease) content. 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. It is a material that ages beautifully, is absolutely environmentally friendly, and free of harmful substances. It has the ability to clean and regenerate itself, bringing 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 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. 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 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 to prevent the weave from unraveling. 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's wool is a natural and very high-quality material. All our carpets are woven from hand-spun sheep's 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's wool is also a living material that, with use and exposure to sun, air, and water, becomes softer and more lustrous over the years. It is a material that ages beautifully, is absolutely environmentally friendly and free of harmful substances, and cleans and regenerates itself.

CARE

With loving care and regular maintenance, a Kilim from Wild Heart Free Soul will look as good as 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 require the right kind of care. A Kilim should be vacuumed or beaten out regularly and carefully. Stains can almost always be cleaned with a slightly damp cloth. Dried food residues can easily be scraped off or brushed out.

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