Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Tile Making in Avonos and Carpet Weaving in Nevsehir

Along with our touring in Cappadocia, we were introduced to two of the region’s craft industries, tile making and carpet weaving. Indeed, it was said that a couple could not marry until the boy had mastered the art of tile making and the girl, carpet weaving.

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We first toured the workshop area where artisans were working, hand painting vases and other pottery.

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Next, we toured the showroom, where we admired the finished products.

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I loved the colors and designs on these tiles.

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These tiles are similar in composition to the Iznic tiles that we saw used in the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul. Indeed, this is the region where those tiles were made.

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Finally, we watched a craftsman working with the pottery wheel.

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They offered me the opportunity to try my hand. (First, I had to pull on some rather loose fitting over pants, so as not to get dirty). Then, with a lot of help,  I fashioned a bowl.

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I was pretty proud of myself…….

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On our second day, we stopped by the ‘Gallery Cappadocia’, where we were able to observe the art of weaving.

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All of these wools and silks are colored with natural dyes. Turmeric for yellow, beets and other elements for red, a mixture of barks for brown, and cobalt blue.

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Inside, we once again had a demonstration of how silk is spun from the silk worm cocoons.

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I loved the colors and textures of the yarns!

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In this facility, several women were working at their looms…….

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Wool, silk and/or cotton are hand woven in intricate patterns to form rugs. It may take a woman weeks, or months to finish one piece. These are the rugs which have decorated palaces, and they retain their beauty and value for generations.

Whether in facilities such as this one, or in independent homes as a cottage industry, the Turkish government is encouraging the resurgence of these traditional handicrafts.

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