Silkworm breeding and gilamik weaving in the yoruks of Antalya

Silk is a natural textile fiber that has symbolized wealth for centuries due to its many characteristics such as luminosity and delicacy. Silkworm breeding, which began in China, spread to the rest of the world and eventually reached Anatolia. Today, Turkey is located in a region with a rich history that has hosted many different cultures. The district of Ibradi in the Ormana neighborhood of Toroslar, Antalya, which is an important port in the Mediterranean trade, has hosted various communities since ancient times and has become an important region through which trade routes pass, connecting the Mediterranean with Anatolia. When the region's multicultural structure is brought to the present day, it has merged under the umbrella of the Yoruk culture, and one of the most valuable and tangible assets of this mixed culture, the Gılamık fabric, has survived to this day. When the Yoruk culture in the Mediterranean region is studied, it is seen that they use silk, and weave the Gılamık fabric. This fabric, which is woven using almost seamless knitting, is used to make undershirts, headscarves, and various home textiles, with an average width of 50-55 cm. Today, in addition to traditional weaving methods and materials, which are done in the old-fashioned way, cotton, which can be obtained more easily and inexpensively on newer looms, is also used. The fabric contains materials such as silk, cotton, and linen, and its sparse structure makes it a natural, breathable, and healthy product. Gılamık fabric is mostly woven in its natural color and striped; when needed, it is decorated with various decorative elements such as embroidery, tassels, and fringe by coloring. This study, which investigates the traces of silkworm breeding and Gılamık weaving culture in the region, resulted in a collection work that blends local and contemporary elements made from this fabric. The traditional fabric, which is still only produced in limited quantities in Anatolia, where archiving is quite weak, is aimed to be passed on to future generations.