Symbolic motifs used in turkish carpet and rug weaving art and their cultural origins

Motifs are nonverbal communication elements in the society in which they were born. These symbols, which were created by abstracting the mentality of a society's value judgments, beliefs, traditions, and customs, were used especially on material cultural elements and gave identity to the works. It is one of our traditional handicrafts that contains rich symbolic motifs and composition examples and Turkish cultural codes in weaving art. The Turkish art of weaving, which has an ancient history, has taken its source from Central Asia, enriched technically and aesthetically in changing times and geographies, and has reached today's Turkish world as a common heritage. In this study, while investigating the cultural origins and sources of the motifs in Anatolian traditional carpets and flat weavings; evaluated together with written, oral, and material cultural elements, an interdisciplinary approach was displayed. In the first part of our study prepared in this direction, the terminology of the symbol language is discussed. In addition, it has been tried to trace the symbols that are fed by religion, mythology, perception of the World, and traditions that develop around folk beliefs, which are the main elements that make up the Turkish mentality, and that expand their influence with migrations, war or trade. In the second part, the definition, classification, and history of Turkish carpets and rugs are discussed, and the current performance environment and the situation of the performers are given. In the third chapter, the carpet and rug culture living in the regions selected as the sample is mentioned. An example of carpets and plain weavings belonging to these regions, together with motif drawings, are given under the title of Appendices. In the fourth and last part of the study, motifs that are frequently seen in Turkish carpets and flat weaving mats are classified and their reflections on art and our folklore are included.