From the ancient origins of silk in China and Anatolia to the thriving Ottoman silk industry in cities such as Bursa, the rich heritage of silk production showcases a tapestry of craftsmanship, art and cultural exchange that weaves silk into the fabric of history.
Throughout history, silk has been a symbol of luxury, wealth, power, and social status. Silk has a place in every aspect of our lives, including fashion, textiles, and ornaments. Its natural elegance, smooth texture, and brilliant shine make it last for years.
In Turkish, "like silk" is a popular metaphor used to describe something very delicate, soft, and shiny. In English, this phrase can be translated and paraphrased as follows: hair is as smooth as silk.
The exact historical origin and discovery of silk is currently inconclusive. Some sources suggest that silk was discovered by the Chinese around 3000 BC, while others claim that silk was used in western Anatolia around 2000 BC.
The whole process of producing this unique fabric is quite challenging and is summarized and defined as sericulture.
A sector in sericulture is the first step in providing raw materials. It includes the maintenance of mulberry trees, the provision of necessary food for silkworms, the reeling of silk threads from silkworm cocoons, the production of various products by spinning silk threads, the weaving of silk threads and woven products, the dyeing of silk threads, and ultimately the trading of these products. This process can be seen as the sum total of many production activities that take place in parallel with sericulture.
The silk production process is extremely challenging, which is why it is of high quality and expensive. Silk is known for its durability and resistance to breakage. This fabric has always been popular and valuable, and to identify its quality, it is necessary to pay attention to some specific details. The texture of high-quality silk fabrics should be smooth and shiny, while low-quality silk fabrics may suffer from problems such as irregular patterns, nodular-like spots, or roughness. These factors highlight the importance of knowing the details to distinguish between different qualities of silk.
A silkworm cocoon can produce silk threads about 900 to 1,500 meters long. The initial stage of weaving involves boiling raw silk extracted from silkworm cocoons in soapy water to remove a layer of a substance called "sericin". Boiling is essential for washing silk. Silk used for weaving can be boiled a second time after the weaving process to prepare for the fabric, while silk threads used for carpets are boiled after spinning. The next step is to prepare the silk thread according to the specific fabric that the silk thread will be woven into.
Once the raw silk thread is obtained, the next step is the twisting process. Twisting is the rotation of the silk thread around its own axis to prevent the separation of the layers of the silk thread, ensure the uniformity of the silk thread, and increase the strength of the silk thread. The dyeing process can be carried out before or after weaving. After the threads and fabrics are transported to the dyehouse, they are soaked in hot water and then wound onto a constantly rotating spool in the winder. In the dyeing containers of these machines, materials such as wood, coal, resin, or dyes are used for coloring. Then wrap the thread tightly and let it dry. The fabric is ironed before being **.
Silk fabric reflects light and gives it a shiny appearance. The quality of silk fabrics can also be discerned by the vividness of their colors;Fabrics that do not dull in color or fade quickly are considered high-quality fabrics. Items made with this fabric should have smooth, sturdy stitching.
Today, silk is still a very important industry, and many countries around the world, mainly China and India, are still producing silk using traditional or modern techniques.
It is known that the earliest silk fabrics in Turkey were woven in Bursa during the Ottoman Empire. During the Ottoman period, silk processing centers used raw silk imported from Iran, which was produced in the cities of Bursa, Istanbul, Tokat, Amasya and Mardin, with Bursa being particularly prominent. Despite regional differences, the patterns of silk fabrics are generally delicate and elegant.
In the 14th century, Bursa played a vital role in all aspects of silk production and **. The diverse patterns and patterns of Turkish culture, coupled with the vibrant colors, have won worldwide acclaim, making Bursa's silk products a lot of attention. The Silk Road, named after the most common ** commodity of the time, connected China with Anatolia and Europe, and Bursa was one of the terminus of this historical route in Anatolia.
The fabrics produced in Bursa and their weaving techniques, material quality, and design are all considered works of art. Items made from Bursa silk, including textiles and handicrafts, are of high value.
In his travel diary, written by traveler Johans Siltberger after visiting Bursa, traveler Johans Hiltberger praised the city for its beautiful examples of silk production and weaving. Similarly, the famous explorer Ibn Battuta described the city's beautiful bazaars, active ** and spectacular caravans in his travel diary. Some of the city's most visited historical places are related to silk, such as Koza Han (silkworm cocoon inn), ipek han (silk inn) and ipek pazar (silk market).
Textiles have been a basic business in the Ottoman Empire for centuries. Made from the richest materials of the time, Ottoman silk fabrics gained the recognition they deserved and became famous all over the world. These precious fabrics, made during the Ottoman Empire, show an important aspect of the time. The fabrics were woven by hand looms using the most advanced technology of the time.