Turkish Towel

Towels had a ritual and symbolic role in daily life during the Ottoman Empire’s rule. It is usual for both ends of the towels to be embroidered and they were used to drape around the body, with the metallic embroidery making sure the ends draped gracefully. The embroidery is always two-faced and very fine, this is not a domestic product, and usually consisting of a single large motif repeated to fill the width of the towel or a broad, solid band with a repeated motif. In both cases the larger motif stands above a narrow solid border, usually including trees or florals.