In the museum.

A ‘heybe’ (saddle bag): two flat bags united by a (generally) plain middle part with a split. On the picture, about half of the left bag is visible and only a small strip of the right one. The split in the middle is used if a person has to carry the bags: he then pulls his forearm through it, up to his elbow. The more practical use consists in putting the ‘heybe’ on the back of a donkey or mule, or (more up-to-date) use it as ‘bicycle bags’ on a motorbike.

Generally the outer parts of the saddle bag are decorated with decorative weaving (flat-woven or knotted pile).
In the ‘heybe’ on the picture, the technique used is ‘cicim’: on a plain woven underground, a second horizontal coloured weft strand (thicker than the one used for the underground) creates the decorative design, in which diagonal lines dominate. The thickness of the second weft strand causes the impression of a second layer on top of the woven underground, which is – technically spoken – not the case. The technique is sometimes referred to as ‘brocading’. Many cicim-weaves are from Yörük origin, and 100% wool (no cotton warp used).

Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen.
Sources: The Kavak Collection of Anatolian Rugs and Weaves, Antwerpen/Belgium.
& ‘Günaydın Anadolu – Tradities van Turkije’ – cataloog Tentoonstelling Hessenhuis/Antwerpen 1988.