Woven bags and saddlebags identified around Akseki

This doctorate dissertation is concerned with ?the weavings functioningas sack saddlebag within the borders of the county of Akseki in thesouthwestern Turkish province of Antalya?. In the framework of this researchsite analysis and interviews have been conducted during the years 2010, 2011and 2012.In terms of its geographical features the region of Akseki is mountainousand it contains plateaus of various sizes especially on the outskirts of the TaurusMountains. In these plateaus there have been many communities who live onstock-breeding and related nomadic activities. Through this research it has beenpossible to analyze the weaved sacks and saddlebags which have been theindispensible components of nomadic life. In Akseki there are more than tenlarge plateaus which are supported by natural springs and around theseplateaus there are little Turkish nomadic groups which are called ?Yörüks.?Today the use of sack and saddlebag weavings are no longer seenfrequently due to several reasons such as the policies forcing nomadic Yörükgroups to settle down, problems related with nomadic transportation and fasttechnological developments. The samples of weavings which have been collectedas a result of a three-year long site analysis are analyzed and catalogued interms of patterns, colors, compositions and materials. The empirical knowledgeproduced by this research are compared with previous research and alreadyestablished scientific resources on this field.With the help of my thesis supervisor Prof. Nuray Yılmaz, it has beenpossible to formulate the main headlines of the thesis. The first section of thethesis is concerned with the history and geography of Akseki, nomadic life ofYörüks, information on Yörüks, Yörüks in the region of Akseki, the nomadictrajectories of the Yörüks, the plateaus used by Yörüks for their temporarysettings, and the durations of their stays in these plateaus.In the second section of the thesis the sacks and saddlebags identified inAkseki are investigated in detail with respect to techniques, patterns,compositional features, raw materials, the looms used for weavings and theprocess and preparation of weavings.Within the limits of this research approximately 200 sacks andsaddlebags in the form of weavings are identified. 100 of these weavings areanalyzed in detail within the catalogue section of this thesis. In last section ofthis thesis contains restitution works of 8 samples of sacks and saddlebagsselected together with the thesis supervisor.İngilizce Anahtar Kelimeler1-Wea2-Sack3-Carpet Bag4-Nomad5-Akseki