Ottoman Empire

 Unique from other cultures in weaving features, materials used and designs  There are over 650 named design patterns  Main material was silk with gold and silver thread

 Motifs (themes) included:  Flowers (tulips, carnations, roses, etc.)  Trees (apple, date palm, cypress)  Animals (peacock, deer)  Crescent moon, stars  Fruit (pomegranate, apple, dates, artichokes, pineapple)

 The geographic location of Ottoman territory included natural trade routes from East and West  Members of court gave great importance to luxury fabrics and caused an increase in production and quality of textiles  The Palace regulated and controlled all arts  There were many laws governing trade and markets especially silk weavers.

 There were strict laws for methods of obtaining raw materials, spinning the thread, dyeing the material—quality was very important  Those who failed to follow these guidelines were subject to punishment  Gold and silver thread had to be stamped approved by the state—and final permission had to be granted before sale  All these procedures insured top quality

 There were three types: cotton, wool, and silk  Cloth and raw materials were traded from India to across Europe  The Turks were superior silk weavers the colors, motifs, and compositions used resulted in productions of quite incredible beauty.

 Look around your home or someone else's (don’t be a creeper )  See if you can list a things which might have been influenced by Turkish influences  Bring them to class to share