Marti Dean

Nazarlık and Çengel Gallery · Collection catalogue

Nazarlık 10

Protective hanging · Anatolia

Full-length photograph of a shaggy protective hanging, with brightly dyed animal-hair or wool locks around a four-mirror face and five long braided bands; background photograph provisional.
Object 10 · Frontal view Select to view full-size photograph

Photographic details

Close-up of the upper front with shaggy coloured animal-hair or wool locks surrounding the mirror-covered red fabric face.
Decorated head and multicoloured locks
Close-up of the decorative face showing four circular mirrors bordered by white beads, cowrie-shell cross lines, flowers, turquoise glass beads and buttons.
Four mirrors, shells, buttons and beads

Catalogue record

Object
10 · Protective hanging, perhaps deriving from animal adornment forms.
Dimensions
147 × 43 cm (length × width)
Acquisition
Not recorded in the present catalogue entry.
Dating
Undetermined; reverse print has not been securely dated

Materials

  • Felt at face; hidden foundation may be padding rather than solid felt.
  • Red/green fabrics and patterned printed backing, visually comparable to 1960s–1970s designs.
  • Cowries, glass seed beads, turquoise glass, mother-of-pearl buttons, four mirrors and pressed metal flower appliqués.
  • Five wool bands with tassels and abundant long dyed animal hair/wool locks.

Construction And Techniques

  • Rounded head divided into quarters by vertical/horizontal cowrie lines; four mirrors each outlined with white seed beads.
  • Outer shell border and quarter areas embellished with shell flowers, beads and buttons.
  • Mane of thick orange, burgundy and grey locks attached around head.
  • Five c. 3.5 cm wool braids; saffron centre braid extends up reverse to suspension loop.
  • Two decorative red-fabric joins across hanging braids; each braid divides into paired thick cords with plain-headed tassels.

Decorative Features And Motifs

  • Four-part cross-like layout with one mirror in each quadrant; cowrie trefoils and flowers.
  • First strap join has shell flower and two pressed ornaments; second has remnants of a green flower plus metal floral appliqué.

Condition And Alterations

  • Some fading; reverse print appears mid-20th-century but not securely dated.
  • Unknown construction of concealed central foundation; no confirmed later repairs.

Motif Research And Cultural Comparisons

  • Ayna (mirror), çiçek (flower) and haç (cross-like) are descriptive terms; no single definitive named motif is assigned.
  • Traditional Anatolian floral imagery is diverse and may be linked with abundance, but maker intent cannot be established [1].

Provenance And Research Notes

  • Photograph the reverse printed cloth for dating comparison.