Turkish rugs

Turkish rugs are hand-knotted rugs from Anatolia, the Asia Minor heartland of present-day Turkey. They are the home of the symmetric Turkish knot, also called the Ghiordes knot, which gives the entire Anatolian, Caucasian and Turkmen knotting tradition its character. The spectrum reaches from the large-format medallion rug of Usak through the fine workshop pieces of Kayseri to the classic prayer rugs of the villages. This overview places the most important knotting centres in context and explains how to recognise a genuine Turkish rug.

Turkish rug or oriental rug?

Oriental rug is the umbrella term for all hand-knotted rugs from the Near East and Central Asia. The Turkish rug is one of its great families, on equal footing with the Persian rug from Iran. Both share the same craft foundation, but they differ in the knot: the Persian sphere mostly ties the asymmetric Senneh knot, Anatolia the symmetric Ghiordes knot. The fundamental difference is covered in the comparison Persian rug or oriental rug.

History and tradition

Anatolian knotting is among the oldest in the world. Rugs from Konya survive from the time of the Anatolian Seljuks in the 13th century. The craft reached its first peak between the 15th and 17th centuries, when large-format star and medallion rugs were made in Usak and reached Europe through Venetian and Dutch merchants. They appear so frequently in Renaissance paintings that whole pattern groups are now named after the painters Holbein and Lotto.

Alongside courtly and urban workshop production, there was always the village and nomadic knotting of the Yörük. Within the Ottoman Empire, regional schools developed their own design language, which survives to this day. The founding of the imperial manufactory in Hereke in the 19th century finally produced the finest silk rugs in Turkey.

Regions and knotting centres

Anatolia is divided into several knotting centres of unmistakable character:

Centre	Region	Typical features
Usak	Western Anatolia	large medallions and star designs, muted terracotta and sage tones
Kayseri	Central Anatolia	fine workshop pieces, often prayer niches, wool and art silk
Hereke	Marmara region	finest silk and wool rugs from the imperial tradition
Ladik	Central Anatolia	classic prayer rugs with a tulip border
Gördes	Western Anatolia	namesake of the Ghiordes knot, classic prayer patterns
Milas and Bergama	Aegean coast	warm reds, geometric tribal patterns

The fine silk rugs of Hereke and the silk pieces of Kayseri are listed under silk rugs on account of their material. All Anatolian provenances are also gathered on the origin page Turkey.

Material and knotting

Turkish rugs are traditionally made of virgin wool on a warp of wool or cotton. The Anatolian highland wool is strong, lustrous and takes natural dyes well. For top qualities, above all from Hereke, silk is also used.

They are knotted with the symmetric Turkish knot, which anchors the pile especially firmly and allows clean, straight contours. This predestines it for the geometric patterns and strict medallion forms typical of Anatolia. How the knot types differ is shown in the overview knot types.

Knot density and quality

The knot density ranges from about 60,000 knots per square metre in robust village rugs to several million in the finest Hereke silk rugs. A higher density allows finer drawing, but it does not determine quality alone: wool quality, natural dyes and the cleanness of the knotting count just as much. How knot density influences quality and price is explained in a dedicated guide.

How do you recognise a genuine Turkish rug?

These features help with classification:

• Symmetric knot: On the back the knots sit evenly on both sides around two warp threads, unlike the offset Persian knot.
• Geometry and prayer niche: Clear medallions, star designs and the pointed mihrab of the prayer rug are Anatolian leitmotifs.
• Muted natural tones: Terracotta, mustard, sage and deep indigo shape the palette, especially in Usak.
• Hand-knotting: The pattern appears mirror-reversed on the back, individual knots are visible, and the fringes are extended warp threads.

A systematic guide is offered by the recognition overview, and the authenticity check by the article Is my rug genuine?.

Value and buying criteria

The value of a Turkish rug depends on age, condition, size, material, knot density and the clarity of the drawing. Antique Usak rugs of the 17th to 19th centuries and signed Hereke silk rugs achieve collector prices, while newer village and workshop pieces are decorative everyday rugs with good value for money. Orientation is provided by the value overview and the buying advice.

Use in the home

The strong Anatolian wool and the firm knotting make Turkish rugs robust and suited to everyday use. The large Usak medallions work well in living and dining rooms, smaller prayer formats set accents in the hall and entryway. Silk pieces from Hereke belong, as showpieces, rather on the wall or in quiet areas.

Care

Turkish wool rugs are easy to care for. Regular vacuuming in the direction of the pile is enough day to day, stains are dabbed off at once with clear water, not rubbed. A professional cleaning every few years preserves lustre and colours. Silk rugs from Hereke demand particular caution and belong in expert hands. More on this in the care overview.