The art of embroidery, an essential Turkish handicraft, is an important data source that carries information about the historical periods when the garments were made. For this reason, Turkish embroidery art is an important cultural asset, and the craftsmanship is still alive thanks to an Anatolian dowry tradition dating back 13 thousand years. So, the South Asian dowry tradition, also applied in the Turkish communities, kept the embroidery art alive and passed down the knowledge from generation to generation.
The discovery of needles in excavations in Anatolia suggests that this art has existed since the Neolithic Age. The observation of ornamentation and embroidery techniques on clothing items in the ruins of civilizations that lived in regions considered the cradle of civilizations, such as Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Anatolia, shows that embroidery has been in every civilization since ancient times. The first example of Turkish embroidery is in the kurgans of the Huns, who lived in the Altay Mountains in the 3rd century BC. In cotton fabric samples from the Uyghur Period, in addition to human and animal figures, examples of embroidery symbolizing the three eyes of Buddha, which was influenced by Buddhism and used as Çintemani in the Ottoman Palace, can be seen.
During the Ottoman period, embroidery culture developed outside the palace as well. Merchants and artisans coming to Istanbul from different regions made embroidery motifs similar to palace embroidery in homes and bazaars under the supervision of the state. A different embroidery and embroidery tradition independent of the palace manifested in small settlements. Today, especially in big cities, embroidery production is led by big brands, which produce it in mass amounts. This valuable handicraft no longer has the attraction and quality of handmade embroidery. Embroidery is a labor-intensive and time-consuming handcraft that has lost popularity among younger generations. Still, however, our Anatolian dowry tradition keeps the embroidery art alive, and the craftsmanship is passed down from generation to generation.
In the Anatolian dowry tradition, the dowries produced by young girls and their families until they reach marriage age are kept in a dowry chest. Various fabric works, such as sheets, cushions, covers, headscarves, etc., placed in chests are decorated with motifs using different techniques, materials, and colors. Embroidered handmade fabric products are preserved in dowry chests and are passed down from mother to daughter. The dowry tradition starts with the collection of the dowry, that is, the washing, starching, and ironing of the dowries. Then, ‘showing the dowry or arranging the dowry’ starts, and all the dowry textiles are laid out. Guests who come to see the dowry express their pleasant thoughts about the dowries and bring gifts to the bride. In the last stage, all the dowries are collected and placed in bundles in chests. This tradition of displaying dowry items is no longer practiced in big cities but mostly continues in smaller regions of Anatolia.
Both the tradition of embroidery art and the dowry collection, which is a crucial part of Turkish traditions and customs, should be considered valuable heritage, as they carry women’s personal histories, as women express their feelings through motifs and symbols. Both traditions also empower women’s creation power and gather them in a community of embroidery makers.
Aslı Filinta Art of Anatolia collection transforms handmade dowry works into wearable designs. The upcycled dowries are handmade by women from various regions of Anatolia using multiple hand-crochet techniques. The collection supports women’s handmade labor and aims to protect valuable Anatolian embroidery handicrafts and dowry traditions.
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