Uşak. 16th century. Knotted pile technique (wool, Turkish knot).

Uşak (110 km west of Afyon) was one of the most important and renowned carpet centers in Ottoman times (late 15th to 18th century). Rug production is still going on today, but on a lesser level and with altered designs.
In the 17th century great quantities of Uşak carpets were made for the royal houses and the Christian churches of Europe. They are named according to their specific design: ‘star’, ‘medallion’, ‘bird’, ‘chintamani’ (or: leopard spot), ‘cloud band’ or after renaissance artists who included them in their paintings: ‘Holbein’ and ‘Lotto’, after Hans Holbein the Younger (1497-1543) and Lorenzo Lotto (1480-1556).

The carpet on this picture is a ‘bird’ carpet. This ‘Kuş’-motif (Bird) is loaded with various meanings, ranging from good luck to bad luck: happiness, joy and love; the soul of the dead; women; longing, an expectation of news; power and strength.
The second motif used is ‘Çiçek’ (Flower), which refer to the garden of Eden. Therefore, the meaning of the Bird-motif in this carpet must be a happy and joyful one.

Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen.
Sources: ‘Catalogs of Turkish Handwoven Carpets’– Turkish Ministry of Culture.
& ‘Oriental Rugs, volume 4: Turkish’ (Zipper & Fritzsche) .