Some Examples of Anatolian Traditional Hand Weaving and Present Situation

Abstract

From east to west, from north to south, weaving culture is found in every region of Anatolia. Some of them are called kirkitli weaving in forms of carpets, rugs, etc. . A large part of them are shuttle weaving which are also called reginal weavings and in forms of traditional fabrics, clothing, quilts, and home decorative items, etc. However, each of them carries unique characteristics with its material, production and usage style, pattern and composition. These cloths, which have been produced and used for centuries, have been affected negatively in parallel with the developments experienced in the textile sector in recent years; especially clothes in modern cities which are easy and cheap to obtain in everyday life and which are also compatible with fashion and have common lines have become preferred. As the consumption increased at the same rate all over the world, and large stacks of textiles occured, which are discarded after being used for a short time. Whereas Anatolian hand weavings are generally produced with natural fibers and offer the possibility of ecological use, thus be used by several generations. However, due to limited production, this value generally stays within a region. Since traditional weaving culture has a tremendous variety, in order to present a brief introduction to shuttle hand weaving and its past and present situation, some samples from various regions of Turkey were selected for this report, which is prepared by Atatürk Culture Center on 10-11.03.2017 in the scope of the workshop titled "Past, Present, Future of Traditional Turkish Arts"