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Nuray Gümüştekin
Turan, G. (2006). Eating with Eye…Drinking with Eye”
Sanat Dünyamız (Yapı Kredi
Yayınları) (100), 175-179.
Turani, A. (2005).
A World History of Art. İstanbul: Remzi Kitabevi.
Eyüboğlu, S., İpşiroğlu, M.S. (2013).
The Sense of Reality in the European Painting.
İstanbul: Hayalperest Yay nevi.12-13
An Investigation Of Flat Weaving Cicim Technique In The Samples In Prof. Dr. Turhan
Yazgan Ethnography Museum
Fatma Nilhan Özaltin,
Zeynep Figen Yurteri
1. Introduction
Flat-woven rugs refer to the ones with no pile in kilim, zili, soumak, and cicim (jijim)
techniques as floor covering.
The nomadic herders (
yörük) in Anatolia living in a traditional
way of life have been the most loyal producers of flat woven rugs. They have ensured the
continuation of traditional weaving, using flat weaves in many places in everyday life. Today,
flat weave rug making in Anatolia is one of the rare arts with traditional rules despite
mechanization.
These weaves with no pile are undoubtedly different weaves in terms of weaving
techniques although they have a similar weaving surface look. Therefore, they are often
mislabeled as kilim by those who do not know the traditional weaving techniques (K rz oğlu,
2001, p. 11).
The purpose of the study is to show technical discrepancy in flat weaves and to pay
attention to cicim technique. Over 400 cicim rugs exhibited in Prof. Dr. Turhan Yazgan
Ethnography Museum in Isparta were investigated for this purpose. The flat weave rug
samples with “cicim” technique in the museum were analyzed according to the motif (design)
and weaving techniques.
Figure 1: Prof. Dr. Turhan Yazgan Ethnography Museum (2015).
In Anatolia, flat weaves with cicim technique have been woven for daily needs such as
a pillow, floor covering, prayer rug, saddlebag, door/table/sofa cloth, oblation bag, curtain,
cutlery rack, sack, and gun bag (Bar şta, 1998, p. 47).
Warp, weft, and motif threads are used in cicim flat weaves and
these weaves are often
called as “extra-weft float brocading” (atlamal ) in several locations in Turkey. (Bar şta, 1998,
p. 43). There is no rule in the number of overlaps in motif threads. The number of overlaps in
weft threads determines the number of horizontal overlaps, thus making the motif looks good.
The motif in cicim weaves looks as if it were an embroidery by a needle on a plain ground. In
fact, the ground and the motifs are woven during the weaving simultaneously. According to
the motif intensity and ground look in cicims, various techniques are used such as cicim with
scattered motifs, cicim with weft-faced scattered motifs, cicim with condensed motifs, cicim
with weft-faced condensed motifs, and cicim with warp-faced.
46
Fatma Nilhan Özaltin, Zeynep Figen Yurteri
2. Material And Method
2.1. Motifs
Throughout the history, human beings have sometimes reflected their ideas and feelings on
the cave walls, stones, and weavings by means of symbols and drawings. Motifs have often
been used which show the femininity of the woman, the power of the man, the abundance and
fertility of the family, the symbols which are believed to protect against evil thoughts.
The designs of flat weaves with “cicim” technique exhibited in Prof. Dr. Turhan
Yazgan Ethnography Museum in Isparta were investigated. It was found that the motifs such
as
elibelinde, koçboynuzu, bereket, su yolu, p trak, muska ve nazar, kurtağz and çengel were
mostly used in these weaves.
2.1.1. Elibelinde Motif (hands-on-hips or akimbo)
This motif represents motherhood, protection of children and symbolizes good luck and
fortune to her house (Ateş, 1996, p. 153).
Figure 2: Hands on hips or Akimbo (Erbek, 1982, p. 21-23-26).
2.1.2. Koçboynuzu motif (ram’s horn)
This motif is today believed to be associated with man’s world and symbolizes power, health,
continuation of man’s
fertility, and masculinity (Ateş, 1996, p. 153).
Figure 3: Ram’s horn (Erbek, 1982, p. 38-39-41).
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An Investigation Of Flat Weaving Cicim Technique In The Samples
2.1.3. Bereket motif (fertility)
This is usually interpreted with the ram horn and hands-on-hips-motifs motifs, and has
connotations with marriage, mating, reproduction. Using the symbols such as luck and
fertility represents a wish for never-ending happiness (Erbek, 1982, p. 46).
Figure 4: Fertility (Erbek, 1982, p. 54).
2.1.4. Su yolu motif (running water or meander)
Water is
a symbol of rebirth, of revival of the body and soul,
of continuous flow of life, and of
fertility, nobility, wisdom, purity and virtue (Erbek, 1982, p. 102).
Figure 5: Running water or meander (Erbek, 1982, p. 106-107).
2.1.5. Pıtrak motif (burdock)
Burdock is a plant found in fields; its thorns stick into people and animals. Anatolian people
believed that the thorns on this
plant kept the evil eye away, and they have used this motif as a
good luck charm. The Turkish saying “p trak gibi” means abundant, referring to the
fruitfulness of the trees. In this perspective, the motif has been used on flour bags, tand r
(clay-lined pit oven) cloths and on earth-made containers (Erbek, 1982, p. 106-107).