Anatolian hemp textiles through the eyes of ethnobotany

Hemp nomad sacks and rugs

Hemp fiber, once tied to the vital production of rope and other maritime goods, has largely faded from view. Yet northern Anatolia still preserves this heritage in hand-crafted rugs, sacks and saddlebags made from remarkably strong and fine hemp. These weavings survive in the mountainous region near the Black Sea coast and extending through the inland valleys of western Turkey. Anatolia is often associated with colorful wool kilims. These differ markedly from the region’s handwoven hemp rugs, which typically feature simpler patterns on bleached or natural-colored grounds. Even so, many familiar motifs appear alongside carefully braided edge finishes and hand-sewn seams. Other inventive details, made from strips of reused fabric, add charm while also serving as a mark of ownership.

Rob Clarke, an internationally renowned Cannabis ethnobotanist, studies the relationship between plants and people, and especially how growers have preserved traditional landrace varieties by saving seed for the next season. Today, however, many farmers worldwide must buy seed each year, creating dependence on modern seed companies and chemical agriculture. This makes the preservation of the genetic diversity of traditional landraces especially important, particularly for producing flexible textile fibers.

Hemp-growing regions are typically temperate, with nutritious soils in mineral-rich mountain areas. Rob understood this well during his decade of travel through mountain villages in search of hemp textiles. Drawing on his field research, Rob and his Turkish colleague, Emir Polat, launched a unique project to encourage farmers to continue traditional cultivation, documented in the film “Quest for the golden fiber” free for you via the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c99uCi6xO5c

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