Kilims (Persian: گلیم‎ gelim) are flat tapestry-woven carpets or rugs produced from the Balkans to Pakistan. Kilims can be purely decorative or can function as prayer rugs. Recently-made kilims are popular floor-coverings in Western households.

Etymology[link]

The term 'kilim' originates from the Persian gelim (گلیم) where it means 'to spread roughly'. ^[1] Various forms of the word are used in other languages (e.g. Turkish: kilim, Greek: κιλίμι, Bosnian: ćilim, Albanian: qilim, Polish: Kilim, Ukrainian: Килим, Kylym, Lithuanian kilimas). In Kurdish, they are called 'berr'.

History[link]

Not only pile carpets were produced in ancient times, but also kilims.

"As kilims are much less durable than rugs that have a pile to protect the warp and weft, it is not surprising that few of great age remain. The oldest piece of which we have any knowledge is a fragment obtained by M. A. Stein, the archaeological explorer, from the ruins near Khotan, in Eastern Turkestan, of an ancient settlement, which was buried by sand drifts about the fourth or fifth century CE. The weave is almost identical with that of modern kilims, and has about fourteen threads of warp and sixteen threads of weft to the inch. The pattern consists of narrow stripes of blue, green, brownish yellow, and red, containing very small geometric designs. With this one exception, so peculiarly preserved, there are probably very few over a century old."^[2]

Weaving technique[link]

Kilims are produced by tightly interweaving the warp and weft strands of the weave to produce a flat surface with no pile. Most kilim weaves are "weft-facing", i.e., the horizontal weft strands are pulled tightly downward so that they hide the vertical warp strands.

When the end of a color boundary is reached, the weft yarn is wound back from the boundary point. Thus, if the boundary of a field is a straight vertical line, a vertical slit forms between the two different color areas where they meet. For this reason, most kilims can be classed as "slit woven" textiles. The slits are beloved by collectors, as they produce very sharp-etched designs, emphasizing the geometry of the weave. Weaving strategies for avoiding slit formation, such as interlocking, produce a more blurred design image.

The weft strands, which carry the visible design and color, are almost always wool, whereas the hidden warp strands can be either wool or cotton. The warp strands are only visible at the ends, where they emerge as the fringe. This fringe is usually tied in bunches, to ensure against loosening or unraveling of the weave. [Source for this description of the weaving: Davies 2000].

Designs[link]

Detail of a Turkish kilim

Ardabil rugs feature motifs that are very similar to Caucasian rugs, but with more motifs and objects woven into the borders. The colors are also lighter. The patterns are predominantly geometric and the most common layouts on Ardabil rugs are medallions, multiple connected diamond-shaped medallions, and all-over octagonal shapes. The most recognized design found on Ardabil rugs is the famous Mahi (Herati) design - a diamond medallion and small fish throughout. Some modern weavers have begun to favor bold geometric patterns over the traditional Mahi (Herati) design and have added colors such as turquoise and purple to the more traditional red, pink, ivory, green, and blue.

Commercial value[link]

Because kilims are often cheaper than pile rugs, beginning carpet collectors often start with them. Despite what many perceive as their secondary (or inferior) status to pile carpets, kilims have become increasingly collectible in themselves in recent years, with quality pieces now commanding high prices.

What some sensed as inferiority was actually a different nature of rugs woven for indigenous use as opposed to rugs woven on a strictly commercial basis. Because kilims were not a major export commodity, there were no foreign market pressures changing the designs, as happened with pile carpets. Once collectors began to value authentic village weaving, kilims became popular. Now, many kilims are woven for export.

Types[link]

Persian[link]

• Ordinary kilims: this type of kilim is woven with hemp, cotton and also wool threads.
• Gunny kilim: this special type is woven with varicolored pieces of cloth.
• Suzāni kilim: this type is embroidered with raised figures after the ordinary kilim is woven.
• Needlework kilim: this type of kilim is hung on the wall and is woven with cotton threads.
• Jol (جل): this is a kind of kilim the surface of which is embroidered. With its decorative designs, it is used as horse saddles.
• Palās (پلاس): this is a kind of kilim in which each color is used for weaving several rajs, it does not have a pile. Palas is also the name used for the coarse woollen robes dervish wear.
• Jājim (جاجیم) or chador-shab (چادرشب): this is a kind of striped carpet woven with colored threads and thinner than palas.
• Zilu (زیلو): this is a kind of kilim woven with cotton threads and simple designs quite in harmony with rural life. It has a cotton warp and weft.
• Rakht-e-khāb pich (رختخواب‌پیچ, "bed-packing"): this type of kilim is used by migrating tribes.
• Charkhi-bāf kilim (چرخی‌باف): this is a kind of sturdy and thick kilim only one side of which can be used.
• Khorjin (saddle-bags) and Juwals: these kilims are used for carrying goods.
• Gilimcheh (گلیمچه, "small kilim"): these are woven like kilims but tiny and decorative.
• Masnads: these are sturdy and fine-woven decorative kilimeches.
• Navār-chādor (نوارچادر, "tent-band"): this type of kilim is decorative.
• Sajādeh (سجاده, prayer kilims): these are woven with altar designs and are used for praying.
• Ghigh: this kilim is used for the walls of tents; both of its side are the same and can be used alike.
• Rah Rah (گلیم راه‌راه): These kilims (or, more precisely, soumak rugs) are woven mostly in the Sirjan region and are also called khatti design kilims. Ardebil and Moghan are woven in the same design but in lower qualities.

Balkans and Eastern Europe[link]

• Bosnian Kilim, of Bosnia
• Pirot Kilim, of Serbia
• Chiprovtsi Kilim, of Bulgaria
• Polish Folk Kilim, of Poland
• Manorial Kilim, of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
• Ukrainian Kilim of Ukraine

Anatolian (Turkish)[link]

Perhaps the best known and most highly regarded, these kilims (or kelims) are traditionally distinguished by the areas, villages or cities in which they are produced, such as Konya, Malatya, Karapinar and Hotamis. Most Anatolian kilims are slit woven. Larger antique kilims were woven in two to three separate sections on small nomadic horizontal floor looms in three feet wide long strips, then carefully sewn together matching the patterns edges to create an ultimately wider rug. These pieces are still being produced in very limited quantities by nomadic tribes for their personal use and are commonly known as cicims

• Cicim or Jijim or Jajim: kilims woven in narrow strips that are sewn together.

References[link]

1. ^ CARPETS v. Flat-woven carpets: Techniques and structures, Encyclopedia Iranica, by JEAN-PIERRE DIGARD and CAROL BIER
2. ^ Hawley, Walter A. Oriental Rugs Antique & Modern. (1913). Reprint (1970): Dover Publications, New York, N.Y., p. 278.

Sources[link]

• Allane, Lee (1988). Oriental Rugs: A Buyer's Guide. Thames & Hudson. ISBN 0-500-27517-3. 
• Davies, Peter (2000). Antique kilims of Anatolia. W.W. Norton & Co.. ISBN 0-393-73047-6 9780393730470 9780393730470 0393730476.  [The first edition of this book was published by Rizzoli International in 1993 as "The Tribal Eye: Antique kilims of Anatolia" ISBN 0-8478-1705-9, ISBN 978-0-8478-1705-4 9780847817054 0847817059]

• Yanni Petsopoulos, Kilims: Flat Woven Tapestry Rugs, Rizzoli, 1979, ISBN 0-8478-0245-0

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Fatih Kısaparmak
Fatih Kısaparmak in March 2010
Born	31 January 1961 Elazığ, Turkey
Nationality	Turkish
Other names	‘Contemporary Ozan’, ‘Mr Kilim’ and ‘The Father of Folk’.
Occupation	Singer/Songwriter

Fatih Kısaparmak (31 January 1961, Elazığ), is a singer/songwriter of traditional Turkish folk music.

Born in Elazığ, Maden, his mother Yıldız Hanım is a retired primary school teacher, his father Necip Bey is a high school teacher, beurocrat and the coordinating principal of various high ranking schools and institutions.

In 1991, he married economist Şebnem Ergür (Kısaparmak) who was a television news presenter for TRT, Channel 6, Channel 7 and Fox TV. The couple have two sons, Ozan and Kaan. After tertiary education, Fatih Kısaparmak was the music presenter for Anakara State Conservatory and TRT Anakara Radio, his artworks could also be found in State Arts Galeri. He was a photojournalist for Tasvir Newspaper while he was studying at Ankara Bahçelievler High School. In his university years, many of his poems, interviews and research papers were published in various arts and literature magazines.

He started his professional music and songwriting career in 1985. His first song Kilim was a huge success. He then released 15 music albums and wrote over 200 songs. He was known as the ‘Contemporary Ozan’, ‘Mr Kilim’ and ‘The Father of Folk’.

Fatih Kısaparmak formed two concert orchestras called ‘Group Kilim’ and ‘Group Mozaic’. He held a charity concert for Erzincan, Gölcük and Pakistan earthquakes to help organizations like Darülaceze and Unicef.

Alongside Turkey, he held concerts in USA, Russia, Germany, Austria, France, Holland, Belgium, Cyprus, Central Asia, Bosnia and Venezuela.

Fatih Kısaparmak was also in the managerial position for three seasons for Malatyaspor and Elazığspor soccer teams. He was also a member and manager of İstanbul- Elazığ Cultural Foundation and other foundations in Elazığ.

He has received over 70 awards from leading Turkish organizations, his most recent in 2000 being a doctorate title for his contributions in Turkish folk music from Fırat University.

Albums[link]

• Ve Senin Siirlerim (1987)
• Kilim (1987)
• Yarına Kaç Var - Bekle Küçüğüm (1989)
• Cemre Düşünce (1990)
• Güneşi Biz Uyandırdık (1991)
• Portakal Çiçeğim (1992)
• Dicle'nin Oğlu (1993)
• Hoşçakal (1994)
• Fatih Kısaparmak'tan Hitler (1994)
• Mozaik 1 (1995)
• Mozaik 2 (1996)
• Olur Mu Böyle Hasan (1998)
• Mor Salkımlı Sokak...Ve Senin Şiirlerim (Birlikte verilen 2 albüm, 1999)
• Bu Dağ Ne Rüzgarlar Gördü (2000)
• Vay Benim Hayallerim (2001)
• Sevdaysa Sevda, Kavgaysa Kavga (2003)
• Ben İki Kere Ağladım (2004)
• Belki Dönemem Anne (2007)
• Mor Salkimli Sokak ve Senin Siirlerim (2008)
• Ask Ve Özgürlük Icin (2009)
• ÜZÜM KARASI GÖZLERİN

Website[link]

Fan Website
İnterview in Todays Zaman Newspaper