Reconstructed interior of the main room in the private part of a large urban Ottoman house, where only family members and female visitors were tolerated. 19th century.
The whole setting is inspired by the example of the Tekeoğlu Konağı, wich is regarded as the most important historical private mansion of Kaleiçi Antalya.

The dresses of the two ladies in front are called ‘bindallı entari’, and are adorned with gold thread embroidery (handmade, of course) on velvet. ‘Bindallı entari’ means: ‘robe with thousand branches’, because the decorative motifs on the robes consist mainly of branches with leaves and flowers.

In general these robes were a festive dress (and still are in some towns of Anatolia, such as Beypazarı, for example). If worn on a daily base, they were a status symbol; they ment: this lady is too well dressed, and too important, to do any real work.

Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen.