Bayat Turkmen Carpet

The Bayat Turkmen carpet is a traditional woven product of significant importance within the handicraft heritage of Oğuz culture, entirely produced by hand using natural materials. These carpets, manufactured in the Bayat district of Afyonkarahisar, are distinguished by the use of 100% sheep wool spun into kirman yarns dyed with root dyes and woven on hand looms using a tight warp technique. The motifs and patterns passed down through generations, along with their unique color tones and durability, make the Bayat Turkmen carpet not only a symbol of cultural identity but also an economic asset, representing one of the key examples in the preservation of traditional weaving art.

Throughout history, carpet weaving has been one of the most significant cultural practices of the Oğuz people. Bayat Turkmen Carpets are produced entirely by hand using 100% root-dyed wool and traditional techniques, preserving original patterns, motifs, and colors. Key distinguishing features include dyeing with root pigments only, weaving with high-quality yarns spun using a tool called kirman, and production using exclusively natural materials and manual labor. Production uses 100% sheep wool. The wool is spun into yarn using a device known as a kirman, which produces threads stronger than machine-spun yarn.

To obtain root dyes, plants such as pinar, palamut, and mazı are collected from mountains and dried in the shade. Once dried, the plants are placed in cauldrons with rope and boiled. Before dyeing, the wool yarns undergo a process called mordanting: they are boiled with mineral salts and left to soak in water for a day to preserve their shape, texture, elasticity, and softness. For blue tones, çivit herb is used; to deepen colors or shift them to other hues, saçıkıbrıs mineral salt is applied. The dye plants yield specific colors: kırmızı ot provides red tones, walnut husks produce brown, palamut and mazı yield black and yellow, pinar gives green, and çivit herb produces navy and blue shades.

After dyeing, the yarns are removed from the cauldron and hung to dry for a day. On the second day, they are washed thoroughly with plenty of water and detergent, then dried and formed into balls. Carpets are woven on metal looms, with fine threads tightly arranged in the warp according to the desired dimensions. Bayat Turkmen Carpets are characterized by small, densely packed motifs. Their designs have been preserved and transmitted from generation to generation. Twelve distinct patterns are used in Bayat Turkmen Carpets: Avşar, Saçbağlı, Bindallı, Körçiçek, Hayat Ağacı, Başaklı, Bıtraklı, Ejderhalı, Seleser, Parmaklı, Konya, and Kütahya. Due to their tight warp and dense weave, these carpets can be used on both sides. The colors derived from root dyes are initially darker and matte; they become brighter and more vibrant with washing and use. Root-dyed colors are resistant to light and do not bleed when washed. It takes approximately one month to complete a single carpet. Producing one square meter of carpet requires 0.400 kg of wool warp thread and 1 kg of root-dyed kirman yarn. After weaving is complete, the fringes are knotted.

^{Bayat Türkmen Kilimi} (AA)

Carpet weaving has reached the present day through the manual labor of local women and skills passed down through generations. Under a joint project between the Bayat Subdistrict Governorship and the E-Type Closed Penal and Correctional Institution in Afyonkarahisar, carpet weaving courses are offered to detainees and convicts. Carpet weaving training enables participants to gain employment upon release. This craft is among the traditional arts at risk of disappearing and is actively being preserved. The Provincial Directorate and Subdistrict Governorship provide support to sustain this culture. Patented carpets are sold via social media, and efforts are underway to expand their global reach through online platforms.

^{Bayat Türkmen Kilimi} (AA)

The monitoring of Bayat Turkmen carpets is conducted by a designated authority comprising experts from the Bayat Halk Education Center Directorate, the Bayat District Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Bayat Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundation, coordinated by the Bayat Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundation-Kilim Atelier. Inspections verify the use of 100% sheep wool spun into kirman yarn, the application of root dyes, and the authenticity of carpet patterns. Inspections are carried out annually or as needed.