Transylvania, 17th century. Uşak.

Knotted pile technique (wool, Turkish knot).
The name ‘Transsylvanian’ (or: Siebenbürgen) was given by European collectors.

This very popular class of rug is misleadingly named after the eastern European province (in nowadays Romania), into which it was imported in large quantities during the 16th and 17th centuries. The principality of Transsylvania (called ‘Siebenbürgen’ in German) lies in the curve of the Carpathian mountains and was at the time tributary to the Ottoman empire. These Anatolian rugs were later used to decorate Transsylvanian churches, where many examples can be seen to this day.

Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen.
Source: ‘Handbuch der orientalischen Teppiche’ (Erwin Gans-Ruedin) – Fribourg, 1974.