Heybe Western Anatolia

While this bag, with its blue and white Seljuk star motif, could be from the town of Kozak, it is safer to say it was woven in the Bergama area of northwest Anatolia. "Cool" colors like this are atypical for Anatolia in general, but more typical for its northwest than elsewhere.

The split in the center of the plainweave is not generally functional, as heybe were usually carried by humans, not animals, being slung over one shoulder with the bags hanging down fore and aft.

In addition to good color and strong graphics, this bag is notable for the leather binding on the edges of the sides and the central split. This trim, together with three leather patches, suggests that this item was actually used rather than intended as a decorative or souvenir object.

Structural Data:

Size: 3’ 7” x 1’ 4” (109 x 41 cm.)

Warp: Ivory wool, Z2S

Front

Weft: Red wool, Z singles, two per row
Pile: Symmetrical, Z2 lightly spun; 7v x 5h = 35kpsi
Selvage: Plain interlaced, two sets of paired warps
Ends: TOP: Three weft-faced plain weave stripes, 1/2” each of blue, red, blue wool, Z singles; turned under and overcast sewn with two strands of red wool, Z2S
BOTTOM: Stripes of weft-faced plain weave, Z singles, 56 per vertical inch

Join

Overcast with red wool, Z4S; covered with leather, sewn on with two strands of machine spun Z3S cotton

Back

Stripes of weft-faced plain weave, Z singles; woven discontinuous to create slit in middle; selvages of opening are plain interlaced on one set of paired warps: covered with leather as in join. Four leather discs are sewn over broken thread areas. All leather and cotton stitching are of same material and vintage.