Prayer Carpet (seccade)

This example features the classic format of complex borders and a single stepped arch in the center. Less common is the depiction of stylized water pitchers in the green areas above the arch which may refer to ritual ablutions—the washing of face, hands, and feet. This ritual cleansing is required of Muslims before preforming each of the five daily prayers. For centuries, prayer rugs have been a highly favored textile in Anatolia. The classical carpet-weaving tradition there reflected models from the 16th-century Ottoman court which continued to influence 19th-century carpets. Many prayer rugs have been given to mosques as votive gifts, which are protected in perpetuity under the terms of religious endowments.