Koprubasi evil eye kilim rug - extra large

Elevate a large living space with this generously sized hand-woven rug. A covetable vintage piece made more than 40 years ago, the one-of-a-kind kilim features floating stepped medallions in vibrant colours with a deep red background and a variegated border.

A carrier of visual narrative and collective memory, each rug features symbolic patterns, their powerful meanings woven into the fabric of the piece. The evil eye, or nazarlik, is a protective motif that functions as a shield against the ancient curse of a malevolent glare. The star, or yildiz, symbolises good fortune and happiness.

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. Köprübaşı rugs traditionally hail from Denizli and Balıkesir, two historic areas of production in western Turkey. The word Köprübaşı translates as bridgehead, a reference to the village hubs where nomadic weavers from the highlands would bring their textiles to trade.

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. As traditional kilim weaving is in decline and much of the generational knowledge is at risk of being lost, authentic rugs such as these are ever more highly prized.

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