Recently here at People's Imports we have received two "Santa Claus" Kilims, flat woven rugs made in Turkey. This may seem odd, unless one considers the story of historical Saint Nicholas, along with the winter solstice god figures of pre-Christian Europe, one of the major inspirations for Santa Claus.
"[Nicholas] was from Myra, an ancient town in Lycia, where the small town of Kale (Demre) is situated today in present day Antalya Province of Turkey. It was located on the river Myros (Demre Çay), in the fertile alluvial plain between Alaca Dag, the Massikytos range and the Aegean Sea.
Demre is on the coast of the Teke peninsula, west of the bay of Antalya, with the Taurus Mountains behind...The mountains are forested and the coastal strip is made of good soil brought down by the mountain rivers."
"Saint Nicholas was famous for his generous gifts to the poor,
in particular presenting the three impoverished daughters of a pious Christian
with dowries so that they would not have to become prostitutes."
from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas
The two kilims measure 36" x 44" and are $95 each.
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