Életmód és művelődés Veszprém megyében a 16-18. században (Veszprémi Múzeumi Konferenciák 10. 2000)

Batári Ferenc: Keleti szőnyegek a 16–18. századi Magyarországon

Ferenc Batári ORIENTAL CARPETS IN HUNGARY IN THE 16™-l 8

TH CENTURIES If dotal or asset inventories dating back to the 16

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th centuries are studied, in connection with the history of old Hungarian home furnishings, the conclusion can be reached that the most typical interior decorative elements at that time were oriental carpets. This conclusion is also confirmed by the plentiful supply of relics that have survived. The rich Osmanli carpet collection in the Museum of Applied Arts is second only to that in the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art in Istanbul. Owing to generous donations, Protestant churches of Transylvania have assembled a unique selection of valuable carpets. Carpet weaving developed into a self-contained art form among nomad shepherds. These people produced mainly wool, and used carpet fabrics in almost every area of their lives. The framework of their tents was covered with felt boards made from wool; the entrance was hung with carpet knotted especially for this purpose; they slept on carpets, they prayed on carpets, their valuables were stored in carpet bags hanging on carpet walls, during festivals their livestock was decorated with carpets, they carried their produce in saddle-bags, the head of the family was laid out on carpets, some tribes covered their burial vaults with carpets. In the course of time, carpet weaving became a domestic industry, and later developed into an urban craft. By the end of the mediaeval period, large workshops were also producing for export. Italy and the Netherlands were significant markets, the products being transported by water, as were Poland and Hungary, through which the most important continental east-west trade route used to pass. There is practically nothing to tell about oriental carpets in Veszprém County. There is neither archive material available from that time, nor have relics survived. It is very likely; however, those oriental carpets were often used as decorative elements in homes in this area too. The earliest reference dates back to the 18 century: Béla Takács has revealed data on carpets belonging to Transdanubian Reformed church congregations. 64