DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1367#0237
232 RECOLLECTIONS OF
It is chiefly at Constantinople and Scutari that mantles, dres-
ses, coverlets, carpets, babouches, naleuns (small pattens for
going to the bath), tobacco pouches, and numerous other
things are worked with gold, silver and glittering colours.
These embroideries, which are all made by hand—the, sewing
machine not having yet penetrated so far—are called oyas.
Ordinary articles are bedizened with paintings (yazmas) to imi-
tate embroidery. The brilliant silk stuffs figured with gold,
and the elegant silver striped gauzes, which form part of the
costumes of rich females, are manufactured nearly every v/here,
but chiefly at Broussa, Aleppo, Smyrna and in Roumelia.
The poorer classes wear cotton tissues either of pure or mixed
material which are termed kemhas, aladjas, daghs, or tchezmes.
The use made of these different stuffs can be appreciated in
the very complete Gallery of national costumes.
The same genius which causes the Turk to embroider tis-
sues makes him engrave metal with a thousand fantastic de-
signs. The exquisite nielle which runs in light arabesques on
the burnished tints of the Damascus steel, shows the taste of
Eastern artists; sword hilts, scabbard trappings,, goblets,
knives, &c. are covered with gilt carvings, which set off the
azure ground of the metal.
The great trophy shines with magnificent specimens of fire
and other arms j around a large stag's head are symmetrically
ranged guns of every description, " trusty" Damascus
blades and pistols of different sizes. Next to the modern rifle
is a match revolver which is several centuries old, and
the curved blade of the kilulji crosses that of the kamat
which is straight and pointed and has two grooves in the
middle to drain off the blood.
It is chiefly at Constantinople and Scutari that mantles, dres-
ses, coverlets, carpets, babouches, naleuns (small pattens for
going to the bath), tobacco pouches, and numerous other
things are worked with gold, silver and glittering colours.
These embroideries, which are all made by hand—the, sewing
machine not having yet penetrated so far—are called oyas.
Ordinary articles are bedizened with paintings (yazmas) to imi-
tate embroidery. The brilliant silk stuffs figured with gold,
and the elegant silver striped gauzes, which form part of the
costumes of rich females, are manufactured nearly every v/here,
but chiefly at Broussa, Aleppo, Smyrna and in Roumelia.
The poorer classes wear cotton tissues either of pure or mixed
material which are termed kemhas, aladjas, daghs, or tchezmes.
The use made of these different stuffs can be appreciated in
the very complete Gallery of national costumes.
The same genius which causes the Turk to embroider tis-
sues makes him engrave metal with a thousand fantastic de-
signs. The exquisite nielle which runs in light arabesques on
the burnished tints of the Damascus steel, shows the taste of
Eastern artists; sword hilts, scabbard trappings,, goblets,
knives, &c. are covered with gilt carvings, which set off the
azure ground of the metal.
The great trophy shines with magnificent specimens of fire
and other arms j around a large stag's head are symmetrically
ranged guns of every description, " trusty" Damascus
blades and pistols of different sizes. Next to the modern rifle
is a match revolver which is several centuries old, and
the curved blade of the kilulji crosses that of the kamat
which is straight and pointed and has two grooves in the
middle to drain off the blood.