TREE OF LIFE MOTIF AND ITS APPLICATIONS IN TURKISH ART

Abstract

Tree cult and tree of life concepts have been one of the common cultural elements of humankind since ancient times. In textile handicrafts, which have a deep-rooted history, the tree of life motif has been used as a symbol in different historical processes, forming an imaginary identity quality according to aesthetic rules. This symbol has been perceived as the symbol of life and eternity among Turkish tribes from Central Asia to Anatolia from ancient times to the present. In this context, it has an important place in textile art. The tree of life motif used in Turkish embroidery arts mostly formed the main theme of the compositions. In the framework of the limitations of the technique used, rare examples were applied sometimes with naturalistic and sometimes with stylized forms. In this research, the tree of life motif used in the art of textile embroidery was investigated and in the light of the researches, design and application studies were carried out on the art of embroidery. This study is a descriptive research based on scanning method. The embroideries constituting the sample of the study are the works found in the collections of various museums and having original qualities during the literature search. The aim of the study is to determine the place and importance of the tree of life motif used in Turkish embroidery art in Turkish cultural history. In this context, it is very important to create new designs and transfer this art to future generations. The study is important in terms of documenting the heritage of the art of embroidery related to material cultural products by bringing the traditional Turkish motif to light, preserving the characteristics of the values that reflect our culture and creating a source for future research.