Içel Mut Kilim

South Central Anatolia

First half 19th Century

135 x 250

Woven in one piece - Goat hair warps - stiff abrasive handle

A central row of three stratified saw toothed rhombus emanating from a central asymmetrical eight point “star” flanked by quartered spandrils creating an allusion of an infinite repeat. The borders a simple but masterful optical play on negative and positive design elements with a central “göz”-eye, as a symbol of protection against evil spirits or the power of a menacing glance, the border also with an allusion of infinite repeat. A tour-de-force of Anatolian primitive abstract art.

Related examples:

Ölçer, Nazan; Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art KILIMS, pp.117, pl. 35

Güran Erbek ; KILIM, Catalog No. 1, Cat. No. 49, 50,51,52.

K. Zipper & C. Fritzsche; Oriental Rugs Volume 4 TURKISH, pp. 123, pl. 127