Motif is one of the elements of composition seen on carpets and kilims. This element; from the smallest and the simplest shape to the most perfect shape, like a medallion. Motifs come together and create patterns, patterns and motifs are emerging in various ways to become traditional.
To appreciate a kilim rug it is essential to look at its component motifs and the whole that they form. Although carpets are “composed” in different ways from one region to the next, a weaver will always be able to decipher their message by “reading” them. “Reading” a carpet’s specific language means ravel its individual syntactical structure and meaning. The cultural, social, religious status, living standards of the time, as well.
Investigating kilim motifs would provide us some information from the past culture, and decoding the motifs could reveal that a weaving woman put her feelings, desire, grief,fears into the motifs, because it is a shame for a young girl, to talk about love, marriage or desire for getting married or having a baby which can be explained as “Turkish respectfulness”.
The women who weave the Kilim always did so with deep feelings.
The Kilim is a personal history, which was not shown to strangers!
Motifs can be looked into 3 categories.
1-Motifs symbolizing birth and reproduction
hands on hips, ram horn, fertility, human, hair band, earring, fetter, chest, love and unison, star.
2-Motifs symbolizing life
-related to nutrition : running water
-related to bad luck: amulet – evil eye, burdock, hand – finger – comb, human figure, cross and hook.
-related to life protection: snake, dragon, scorpion, wolf’s mouth.
-related to immortality and lineage: tree of life and family signs.
3-Motifs related to death:
bird.
Hands on hips
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Hands on hips
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Fetter
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Love and Unison
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Star
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Fertility
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Hairband
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Human
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Tree of Life
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Wolf’s mouth
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –