MEMLUK DESIGNS AND MEMLUK RUGS

Memluks were the soldiers and administors of the Eyyubid Dynasty which ruled over Egypt and Syria. These former slaves and soldoers with Turkish and Circassian origine first took control over the goverment and then Egyptian Sultanate(1260). In 1261, Memluks after preventing the Mongolian Invasian, they took over Cairo where they ruled till the Ottoman Conquest. During this period, the Memluks produced rugs with very unusual patterns containnng octagons, triangles and vivid colours such as yellows, greens, blues. Woven with an asymecrical knots, having S spun yarn wool, Memluk Rugs has great medaliionsin the center. During the Ottoman centuries, in addition to Ottoman Flower Pattern Rugs, Memluk style rugs continued to be woven.Memluk rugs of the later periods started having divisions, chessboard pattern and octagons covering the whole groung of the carpet.

OTTOMAN CAIRO FLOWER CARPETS

During the 16th and 17th centuries, Cairo workshops produced rugs with flower patterns, tile designs and patterns borrowed from the book covers. Cairo rrugs which were woven with asymetrical knots are displayed in the various museums of the world.

PARA MEMLUK RUGS

These rugs which were woven in Cairo, Damascus and Anatolia are easyly recognised because of their designs having medalions used in 2 1 2 order. Para Memluk rugs, which are woven by asymecrical knots and Z spun wool, has red as the main ground colour and green, brown, yellow and violet colours as the main colurs.