The town of Avanos is famous for another craft (not just the Avanos pottery), and it’s well worth a visit because of the popular Cappadocia carpets. We were told we could tour one of the local carpet weaving stores, often called a carpet factory. Every time you travel to the Orient, you’re bound to be offered a carpet—“handwoven in a vast array of colors”—and it’s always “just perfect for you.”
But it’s not every day you get to enter one of these craft stores and witness firsthand how these beautiful carpets are actually made. Here, they said, you could choose from Cappadocia carpets made of wool, cotton, or silk.
Cappadocia Carpets :: At the Workshop
You can truly see women weaving by those old wooden looms, threading vibrant wool in every color imaginable. In another room, we found silk cocoons, and machines carefully extracting delicate fibers from insect larvae. Then, we moved to another area where artisans were dyeing cotton threads that would later be woven into intricate carpets. All handmade.
After seeing all this, walking into the showroom full of completed carpets and rugs, it’s nearly impossible to resist picking one up.
One rug in particular caught my eye—orange and blue, with elegant ornaments, not too large, just perfect for my study back home.
Haggling Over a Cappadocia Carpet
Of course, the initial price was laughable, as haggling is expected, and it was set deliberately high. The second offer was lower, and by the third… well, you get the idea.
I ended up purchasing that beautiful rug for half the original price. I was thrilled, though the seller probably had that price in mind all along.
“How am I going to drag this thing back home?” I thought, especially since I was heading to the Middle East next. But before I knew it, they had wrapped it up and packed it so tightly, it looked like… a handbag.
And now, as I write this post, I’m looking at that very rug on the floor of my study. Those ornaments aren’t quite as symmetrical as I’d remembered, and a few shapes are even upside down… but that’s what makes it charming—handwoven, unique, and full of character. And in such vivid colors!
Next: LOVE VALLEY AND SAINT SIMEON’S ROOM
The full Cappadocia SERIES
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14 responses
Wow, I can’t imagine a more important reminder of an amazing destination. Happy you were able to get this gem home!
It was such small “bag” at the end, that I’ve never regretted buying it and taking it with me all across Middle East! 😀
Beautiful! I wish I had bought a carpet when I visited Turkey. It’s so interesting the way they make them. Hopefully I can get to Cappadocia one day and buy one!
Sure, let me know when – I might want another one! 😀 Just joking, thanks!
I would love to see rugs hand woven. I worked in the carpet industry for a while and I have seen about every mechanical way to do it, but I am amazed by the amazing work that can be created by hand.
Me too, such a creative and enduring effort just to make one piece, amazing!
How fun. It’s great that you get the chance to look at something everyday that holds such a nice memory.
Agree. You should see my study, though – it’s full of souvenirs from around the world! Love to glance around while working. 😀
So many different coloured rugs to choose from! I would carry one half way around the world too.
Hehehe, I know what you mean! 😉
I wish I had some of these rugs at home 😀
Who knows, maybe you’ll get one soon. 😉
It was Persian carpets that led me to Iran. The carpet auctioneer led tours, and he was so good, knew so much history and culture and the details of his subject, we signed up for a tour last year, and another in a few weeks.
I love these intricate and beautiful rugs. I have a silk carpet under my feet as I speak, and “Tree of Life” Mihrab prayer mats on either side of our bed.
Nice “souvenirs”, thanks for sharing. 🙂