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Konya Ellibelinde Tree of Life Prayer Kilim
Category: Antique Rugs
Avg. Rating: Rated Good [4.0 out of 5] (Based on 1 Reviews)    Item Views: 460  (details)
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Item Value: $4,000.00
Type: Kilim
Country of origin: Turkey
Region of origin: Konya Province
Period made: Late 19th Century
Size: 6'2" x 4'
Shape: Rectangle
Assembly: Flatweave
Technique: Tapestry and slit-weave with curvilinear weft packing.
Weft: Wool
Warp: Two-ply silver-gray and ivory undyed wool. Braided band at top contains 3 blue glass beads, extends to braided 6" tassels. Braided banded bottoms with uncut loops.
Brocade: Extensive extra-weft brocading outlining elements and motifs.
Design: Two wide vertical borders offset the floating, mihrab where a closely worked tree of life sits against the variegated abrash of the mihrab background.
Dye: Natural vegetal and beetle
Main color: Deep Blue-Cranburry Red
Additional colors:

Crimson, Brick Red, Tulip Red, Pomegranate Red, Several shade of Orange, Deep Copper-Gold, Wheat-Yellow, Medium Blue, Medium Gray-Green, Gray-Periwinkle, Beige, Tan, Purple, Pure Violet, Dark brown (undyed), Ivory (Undyed)

Quality: Excellent
Features:

The reds and purples appear to have been produced using cochineal and kermes beetles which existed around Mt. Ararat. They were particular to the Konya area.

Celebrates ancient Anatolian Mother Goddess imagery.

Extensive orange with sparse blue indicates a design originating from traditions in Eastern Anatolia though woven in Central Anatoilia.

The weavers exceptional skill was demonstrated by tightly packed eccentric wefts and the quality of the brocading.

The orange color may be derived from a commercial dye.

Condition: Mint
Defects: None

Notes

The tree with many types of leaves rests on a large singe blossom at the base, where the petals and center are formed from latch-hook bird's heads yin-yang motifs.

Crowning the mihrab is an elibelinde figure with extended arms and gigantic outstretched hands. The is an old motif called monster's hands. The mihrab complete with tree of life becomes the skirt of the mother goddess. This figure is set against a dark cranberry-red ground stack and filled with serrated leaf, wolf's mouth and other motifs meant to protect and promote fertility.

A double parmakli interlaces themihrab into the field.

Both vertical borders contain a complex meander of interlocked elibelinde motifs.

Top and bottom borders contain an old Turkmen motif of the watchful eye, inside the running dog band and culminate in narrow plain weave stripes.



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