Inonu University Journal of Art and Design İnönü Üniversitesi Sanat ve Tasarım Dergisi ISSN: 1309-9876, E-ISSN: 1309-9884 Cilt/Vol. 7 Sayı/No.15 (2017): 171-183 Comparison of a Set of Savak Tribe Carpets to the Others Weaved Around Anatolia in Composition Elif AKSOY 1*, Latif TARAŞLI2 1: Fırat University, Textile Department, Elazığ. 2 : Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Traditional Turkish Arts Department, İstanbul. *: Corresponding Author, [email protected] Abstract This article, aim introduces the hand knotted carpets that reflect the culture and life styles of Şavak, a nomadic tribe living in Tunceli and Elazig regions. With the migration of the tribe from Central Asia to Anatolia, the traditions and material and moral values they brought along kept living in Anatolia as well. Hence, this reveals itself in the art of weaving. Anatolia has a highly important potential thanks to both its cultural diversity and allowing immigrants during its long history. Therefore, the art objects coming out of the cultural and folkloric values of the Turkmens of Şavak, who migrated from the Central Asia and contributed to the development of the cultural diversity in Anatolia, are all important ethnologically. In this article, the carpets of Şavak tribe and the carpets in the other regions of Anatolia will be compared compositionally. Keywords: Turkmen Rose, Şavak Region, Turkmen Carpets, Free Form of Holbein Rose, Stockbreeding, Nomadic. Suggested Citation Aksoy, E., & Taraşlı, L. (2017). Comparison of a Set of Savak Tribe Carpets to the Others Weaved Around Anatolia in Composition. Inonu University Journal of Arts and Design, 7(15), 171-183. 171 İNÖNÜ ÜNİVERSİTESİ SANAT VE TASARIM DERGİSİ İnönü University Journal of Art and Design Comparison of a Set of Savak Tribe Carpets to the Others Weaved Around Anatolia in Composition Şavak Aşiretine Ait Bir Grup Halının, Anadolu’nun Diğer Bölgelerindeki Halılar ile Kompozisyon Açısından Karşılaştırılması Elif AKSOY 1*, Latif TARAŞLI2 1: Fırat Üniversitesi, Tekstil Bölümü, Elazığ. 2 : Mimar Sinan Güzel Sanatlar Üniversitesi, Geleneksel Türk Sanatları Bölümü, İstanbul. *: Sorumlu Yazar, [email protected] Özet Bu araştırmanın amacı Tunceli ve Elazığ yörelerinde ikamet eden ve yarı-göçer bir yaşam tarzı yaşayan Şavak aşiretinin kültürünü ve kendine has yaşamını yansıtan el dokuması halıları Anadolu’nun diğer bölgelerindeki halılar ile kompozisyon açısından karşılaştırılarak, dokumalar arasındaki benzerlikleri ve farklılıkları ortaya çıkarmaktır. Aşiretin Orta Asya’dan Anadolu’ya göç etmesi sonucunda beraberinde getirdiği gelenekler ile maddi ve manevi kültür değerleri Anadolu’da da devam etmiştir. Nitekim bu durum, dokuma sanatında da kendini göstermektedir. Anadolu gerek barındırdığı kültürel çeşitlilik, gerekse tarih boyunca sürekli olarak göç görmüş olması sebebiyle son derece önemli bir potansiyele sahiptir. Bu yüzden Orta Asya’dan göç eden ve Anadolu’daki bu kültürel çeşitliliğin oluşmasına katkıda bulunan Şavaklı Türkmenlerin kültürel ve folklorik değerlerinin sonucu olan sanat yaratımları da bu açıdan çok önemlidir. Anahtar Kelimeler: Türkmen gülü, Şavak Bölgesi, Türkmen Halıları, Holbein Gülünün serbest Biçimi, Göçebe. Suggested Citation Aksoy, E., & Taraşlı, L. (2017). Şavak Aşiretine Ait Bir Grup Halının, Anadolu’nun Diğer Bölgelerindeki Halılar ile Kompozisyon Açısından Karşılaştırılması. Inonu University Journal of Arts and Design, 7(15), 171-183. 172 Aksoy & Taraşlı İNÖNÜ ÜNİVERSİTESİ SANAT VE TASARIM DERGİSİ İnönü University Journal of Art and Design 1. Introduction Pertek and Cemisgezek counties of period of nine months between April and Tunceli province are named as the Şavak December 2010 for understanding the region and the said region is the residential culture and life style of the tribe. Interviews area of the Şavak tribe. The main reason were made with villagers for analyzing the for the preference of this region is to deal specific culture and weaving art of the tribe, with the specific culture, habits, and photos of their weavings as a part of their weaving art of Şavak tribe, who are hardly identity and genuineness were taken, and known in our country and settled into it was tried to be presented their life style in Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia by a holistic approach. There are many books migrating from the Middle Asia. Therefore, published in our country up to now related it will be sought an answer for why the to the subjects of nomadism and tribes. region that subjects to the article is called However, these take part rather in the Şavak region. The art of weaving is an domains of geography, history, ethnology identity that involves the sociological, and sociology. psychological, anthropological and ethnical On the other hand, many of the studies structures of nomadic tribes. Because of performed on the nomadic communities of these characteristics, its cultural functions Anatolia are related to the nomadic, semi- and the form of creation of its motifs and nomadic or settled clans and tribes that are colours, rather than its techniques, increa- grouped as Turkmens and Yuruks, who live se its importance in terms of authenticity. in Southern Anatolia, Southeastern Taurus Therefore, the art of weaving is an element Mountains and Western Anatolia and are that reveals the world views of people as called as Avsar (Aktan, 1995), Çepni the visual arts. The anthropological studies (Melikoff, 1998), Barak (Kır, 2003), Tahtacİ to be performed on the formation of the (Mutlu, 2013) etc. Dealing with the reasons weaving ornaments give numerous clues of Turkmen migrations historically, Taghavi about the culture and the history of the indicated that the history of the Turkmens region. Therefore, this article aims to un- is separated into 3 periods as a) Nomadic derstand the culture of the subject tribe and period, b) The period of migration to the incentives behind the weaving motifs, Turkmenistan and Turkmen Sahara, c) The and to bring these weavings in the period after formal delimitation between literature. Iran and Russia (Taghavi, 2011). It is The reasons of this research, which are the remarkable the minute amount of the subject of this article, are preparing a studies performed on the nomadic, semi- catalogue for introducing Şavak carpets to nomadic or settled tribes living in Eastern future generations and positioning them and Southeastern Anatolia. This goes for among the traditional weaving arts. Şavak the carpets of Şavak tribe as well, and weavings did not attracted attention and therefore our knowledge about the weaving were hardly examined up to now due to arts of the nomadic communities of Eastern they were produced in a very small region and Southeastern Anatolia is very limited. in Eastern Anatolia for satisfying the needs As is known, tribe is a type of social union of the tribe mentioned. Besides, relevant formed by large families that are believed sources and researches are lacking and to have descended from a common ances- information, images, figures and drawings tor or ancestors, where blood tie constantly related to Şavak weavings in the existing recognized by community members and sources are limited. With this work, Şavak the social universe surrounding them weavings that did not come up to now will (Gultekin, 2013). In this context, having a be introduced to the science world widely stockbreeding based economy and dwel- with persistent documents. ling units such as summer camping gro- Field research in Şavak region was used unds, hamlets and tents besides villages as the data collection tool in this study, and sustaining a life between villages and which was performed through quantitative highlands, Şavak tribe is a typical example research method. Research and study trips of a form of social organization based on were organized to Şavak region in a time blood ties. Motifs and colours in Şavak 173 İNÖNÜ ÜNİVERSİTESİ SANAT VE TASARIM DERGİSİ İnönü University Journal of Art and Design Comparison of a Set of Savak Tribe Carpets to the Others Weaved Around Anatolia in Composition weavings are the means of expression of humans weaving them and their environ- ment. The quality of the raw materials used by the weaver, dye properties and how and from which roots and plants it was obtained, knot frequency or infrequency, symbolic expression and aesthetics of the motifs reflect the traditions and social and anthropologic structure of the people living in the vicinity. Therefore, carpets and rugs reveal the culture and identity of the people weaving them. 1.1. The purpose of the study Figure 1. Place of the Şavak Tribe’s Settle- ment on Turkish Map The purpose of this study is revealing the relationship of the weavings with Central Şavak tribe is an earthbound tribe settled Asia by approaching to the weavings, and semi-settled in more than one village which were produced by Şavak tribe. with fixed dwelling houses in the region Besides, the Şavak weavings that were not called Şavak. Soils of the region are not examined much until today will be compa- suitable for agriculture at all. Husbandry is red compositionally with carpets in the predominant in all villages where the tribe other regions of Anatolia and similarities settled and this reveals that husbandry is and differences among their motifs will be not in a structure that supports agriculture. mentioned. Agricultural activities are the result of a full settled life (Kutlu, 1987). The soils where 1.2. Method they settled cannot be used in agricultural This study is based on the data obtained in activities