The filikli spreads were woven till 30 or 40
years ago in areas where the filik or Angora goats were bred.
These areas were: Balikesir, Afyon, villages of Ankara, Konya-Karapinar,
Obruk, Sultanhan, Eregli, Sivas, Maras and Adiyaman. But in
places like Eregli, Obruk, Amarat, Yesilova, Ilgin and Cihanbeyli
textile weaving of this hair was a must.
In these areas the filiks were woven in three or four pieces
each piece measuring about 60 centimeters in width and two to
two and a half meters in length. Each piece would then be dyed
in different colors. These pieces would be stitched together
to produce spreads used for wall decorations, bed covers, or
sit-on rugs. Some filiks were also woven as single pieces about
the size of a quarter carpet or a prayer rug. Some of these
single pieces can also be found to bear patterns. These patterns
would consist of basic geometric designs which can be found
in nature or prominent designs which have often been used in
weaving.
A filikli weave is made up of warp and wefts
and of tufting of 20 to 25 centimeter long bundles of kid fiber
attached to the warps and wefts with Gordes knots. Filik denotes
the locks of hair on the sides of kid mohair goats. Most of
the time the kids are white in color. Till about 20 or 30 years
ago, the milk and the coat of these animals was the sole source
of income in the above mentioned areas. In recent years however
the population of these beautiful animals has dwindled and now
faces extinction.
As the high fashion world had a demand for
the kid mohair fibers an attempt was made to set up cooperative
stations in Anatolia to rebreed these animals but the quality
of filiks of the new offsprings could never match the quality
of those which were bred in their natural habitat. Therefore
if one comes across a filikli type of weave he can be sure that
it is at least 30 to 40 years old. This is also to say that
filikli weaving stopped 30 to 40 years ago. But until 3 to 4
years ago these weaves were far from having a commercial value
at all. At those times the filik weaves were of more interest
to academicians of ethnographical textiles and to those who
were involved in arts.
With the onset of minimalist trends in home decorations, this
rare textile product was seen as a new decoration material by
interior designers of new times. They were soon to become popular
in the western world in particular in the USA and Japan, used
in conformity with their original purposes, utilized as floor
coverings; wall decorations; table spreads; furniture covers;
bed spreads and even as curtaining material.
Academician Mary Houston in her book titled
Ancient Egyptian, Mesopotamian and Persian Costume, published
in 1924, writes of a Sumerian king and his daughter wearing
a fleece of very long hair denoting aristocracy. Also archeologist
Leonard Walley has mentioned findings of pieces of clothing
bearing Gordes knots in his excavations in city of Ur in Mesopotamia.
In the British Museum a tablet registered under the inventory
number 120201, dating back to 2600 B.C., there can be 37 human
figures each wearing clothes made of filik hair and woven in
present filikli techniques. As these academicians and findings
suggest, these weaves are as old as the history of Anatolia.
The Anatolian folk who initially used just the fleece and later
switched to weaving which resembled the fleece which later was
utilized as a household durable and as a painting frame whenever
necessary.
I personally have heard with my very own ears
the surprise statements of many western artists upon seeing
these pieces. During my 20 year interest in carpets altogether,
I also have heard from many carpet experts that the fingers
which have woven these filiks are no less able than those of
painters like Rothko or Klee; or may have had more artistic
concerns. I could see the light of affection – which one
might give to a relative whom they have not seen since their
childhood – in the eyes of Rifat Dedeoglu, the editor
of this magazine and photographer Ergun Candemir when they came
to photograph the filiklis in my shop.
I personally hope that the subject of this article gives the
necessary message. To the artists, textile manufacturers, academicians
and of course merchants of the Grand Bazaar.
(An unedited contribution, as written by the author)
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