A STUDY ON WOVEN SILK CARPETS AND ITS EDUCATION IN TURKEY

In Turkey, weaving carpets has an important place among traditional handcrafts. In this context, silk carpet is important both in terms of its raw materials being available in Turkey and its being a traditional weaving method in Turkey.

As it can be understood from its name, silk carpet is a type of weaving in which silk is used as the raw material, and which is obtained with Gördes knot (Turkish knot) in various colors and designs. Although silk carpet is difficult to weave and an expensive handcraft, it is a special material which values in time and enduring.

Although carpets which are a part of traditional weaving and whose raw material is wool are the first examples of weaving, they have been woven and used in Anatolia in a way to serve the needs of people. As an alternative to this, however, weaving of silk carpets started just after the import of silk from Europe.

In Turkey, it is possible to see silk raw materials in the carpets of the palace as a symbol of prosperousness and elegance. However, silk carpets became casual properties of people over the time. Thus, many enterprises were established in various places to manufacture silk carpets. First of them is the silk carpet factory in Hereke. Hereke weavings are well-known all over the world and has formed a specialty of the region. However, training the weavers who will apply the difficult and troublesome weaving technique depends on setting the education environment. Moving from this idea, some educational establishments were established in Hereke. One of the educational establishments that serve this purpose is silk carpet course in Pendik.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the educational establishments which give silk carpet education and contribute to the accurate transfer of this art to the next generations, in terms of student types, the education models and the outcomes they gain. In our study, the characteristics and importance of art education will be mentioned.
Besides, the necessity for such studies related to silk carpet weaving is also a reality. Moving from this idea, this study was performed to contribute to handcrafts and introduce a traditional Turkish handcraft to wider societies.