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.