Eight-century-old silk fabrics belonging to the Seljuk palace tradition are being reproduced at a state-run vocational and cultural institute in the southwestern province of Antalya, following a five-year research project aimed at reviving a largely lost textile heritage dating back to the reign of Alaeddin Keykubad I.
The institute launched a comprehensive study to document and reinterpret Seljuk-era silk weaving, with the goal of transmitting the aesthetic and technical legacy of the 13th century to future generations.
As part of the project, fabrics preserved in private collections and museum holdings were meticulously examined. Researchers identified 17 distinct textiles attributed to the Seljuk period, completing detailed pattern analysis and chronological assessments for nine of them. Work on the remaining pieces is ongoing.
Having also filed design registration applications for the revived motifs, the institute has now moved into the production phase, reweaving the historic textiles using contemporary techniques grounded in historical accuracy.
Institute Director Emire Erkal said the initiative seeks to carry the Seljuk weaving tradition’s refined visual language into the present day. A 13-member professional research team conducted an extensive review of patterns before translating them into woven form, she noted.
“Today, there are very few Seljuk textiles left in the world,” Erkal said. “Over the centuries, many have been lost or severely deteriorated. We compiled examples from private collections and museums, analyzed their patterns and brought them back to life.”
Erkal emphasized that Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad I attached particular importance to the Antalya region, where a significant portion of palace textiles were historically produced.
The newly reproduced fabrics will be incorporated into specially designed garments and contemporary creations intended for everyday use.
Art historian and master instructor Semiha Aleyna Ergezer described Seljuk silk textiles as a distinguished category within the Islamic world, notable for their advanced technical craftsmanship, aesthetic sophistication and political symbolism.
The use of metal threads, she said, created luminosity and relief effects that elevated silk beyond a mere garment material into a marker of power and status.
Seljuk-textile art is characterized by medallion-based compositional schemes, symmetrical figural arrangements and stylized vegetal motifs such as rumi and scrolling vines.
Animal figures — including the double-headed eagle, lion, dragon, falcon and horse — form a symbolic repertoire closely associated with sovereignty and military authority.
