In 1292, Marco Polo was the first to make mention of the

Konya Konya () is a major city in central Turkey, on the southwestern edge of the Central Anatolian Plateau, and is the capital of Konya Province. During antiquity and into Seljuk times it was known as Iconium (), although the Seljuks also called it ...

carpets in writing when he called them the most beautiful in the world.Neff, Ivan C. and Carol V. Maggs. Dictionary of Oriental Rugs. London: AD. Donker LTD, 1977. Eiland, Murray L. Oriental Rugs.Boston: New York Graphic Society, 1976. Konya carpets are named for the region in which they were made. Renamed from the

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

“Iconium” when the

Seljuk Seljuk or Saljuq (سلجوق) may refer to: * Seljuk Empire (1051–1153), a medieval empire in the Middle East and central Asia * Seljuk dynasty (c. 950–1307), the ruling dynasty of the Seljuk Empire and subsequent polities * Seljuk (warlord) (di ...

Sultans of Rum made it their capital, Konya is one of the largest, oldest and continuously occupied cities in

Asia Minor Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...

. When Polo wrote of the Konyas, he had probably seen them in manufactories that were attached to the Seljuk courts. In the early 20th century, large carpets were found in the Alaadin Mosque in Konya; they are now housed in the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts in Istanbul. Scholars and collectors alike, primarily for their bold tribal designs and magnificent color combinations not to mention their rarity, covet Konya rugs.

Classification

Konya rugs being made today include those coming from surrounding regions: Kecimuhsine, Karapinar, Obruk and Taspinar. All of these regions are included in "Greater Konya", although distinctions can be made between types.

Nomadic A nomad is a member of a community without fixed habitation who regularly moves to and from the same areas. Such groups include hunter-gatherers, pastoral nomads (owning livestock), tinkers and trader nomads. In the twentieth century, the popu ...

rugs falling under the Konya region are also known as

Yörüks The Yörüks, also Yuruks or Yorouks ( tr, Yörükler; , ''Youroúkoi''; bg, юруци; mk, Јуруци, ''Juruci''), are a Turkish ethnic subgroup of Oghuz descent, some of whom are nomadic, primarily inhabiting the mountains of Anatolia ...

. In a sense Konyas are the Turkish counterparts to Caucasian Kazakhs, though they are generally older and far rarer, and are no less sought after by collectors.

Wool

Konya rugs are prized for their luxurious

wool Wool is the textile fibre obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have properties similar to animal wool. ...

, which comes from the rural areas surrounding the city. The wool from these regions is known to be some of the richest worldwide.

Colors

Older pieces are characterized by the restraint towards color combinations and their use of earth tones (most notably: soft yellow, terracotta and browns). The wefts of the Konya rugs are always red, distinguishing them from other Persian carpets. The Nomadic pieces within this genre usually have a foundation of dark wool or goat hair.

Design and structure

Incorporated within Konya carpets are

hexagonal In geometry, a hexagon (from Greek , , meaning "six", and , , meaning "corner, angle") is a six-sided polygon. The total of the internal angles of any simple (non-self-intersecting) hexagon is 720°. Regular hexagon A '' regular hexagon'' has ...

and basic figures. These patterns are tribal motifs. Geometries are either arranged in neat rows or staggered throughout the field. A common geometric motif is the " Memling gul", a geometric medallion patterned throughout the carpet. These rugs also feature a fairly loose knotting technique.

References

{{Rugs and carpets * Rugs and carpets Turkish culture

Classification

Wool

Colors

Design and structure

See also

References