Ladik Prayer Rug (seccade)

The most common element of a prayer rug is the representation of a "mihrab," the prayer niche or “gateway to paradise.” This fine Anatolian example, featuring a "mihrab" with a stepped arch, was made near the small town of Ladik in Konya province. In addition to the use of the Ghiordes knot (also known as the Turkish knot), Ladik prayer rugs tend to be narrower in length than most Anatolian examples. Additionally, Ladik prayer rugs frequently incorporate a panel of long¬stemmed tulips, usually found above the "mihrab." Weaving associated with the village of Innije (Innice in modern Turkish) near Ladik produced rugs with a distinctive border of a meandering vine as seen in this example.