Esme green tree of life kilim rug - medium

Characterful flowers bloom from a lush green field, bordered by geometric designs in bright tones; the fresh colours and floral patterns of this handmade vintage rug will bring joie de vivre to your living space, whether it's brightening up the floorboards underfoot or hanging on the wall as a piece of art.

The one-of-a-kind rug was made in a village near the town of Eşme, Turkey, and is woven with motifs and patterns that carry powerful meaning. The floral forms represent the tree of life, or hayat ağaci, which symbolises renewal, eternity, and the connection between heaven and earth. The border features the wolf’s mouth, or kurt ağzi, a protective emblem that guards against danger and harmful forces.

Kilim rugs carry the fingerprint of their maker, with each element, from weave to geometric alignment, dye tones to decorative design, bearing the hallmarks of the region where the rug was made and the textile traditions of that area. Eşme is a famous weaving town in the Uşak province known for its rich Yörük-Turkmen nomadic heritage and traditional flatwoven kilims. Uşak was the historic centre of carpet-weaving in the Ottoman Empire during the 15th and 16th centuries.

Kilim weaving was traditionally practised by women using techniques passed from mother to daughter, working without drawing boards or fixed templates, making each piece a unique expression of the maker’s artistry. This rug is made using the slitweave method, a warp-sharing technique that enables the creation of reversible kilims with complex designs. The looping and sharing of strands in the weaving process results in small slits appearing at the borders of the designs, giving the process its name.

Selected by the V&A, each piece has been sourced and professionally cleaned by a specialist partner.