ERZURUM EHRAM

Erzurum Ehram is woven in Erzurum and its surroundings. Ehram, which is the simplest top clothing, was used by many cultures as well as in Anatolia in history. Ehram weaving started to be woven by men within the region until the second half of the 19th century, and women took over weaving process after the men went to war. Until the 1960s, Ehram weaving in Erzurum was one of the important and privileged handicrafts for the local people. In the last quarter of the 20th century and later on, weaving was completely over due to the decrease in the use of Ehram because of the changing life conditions. Today, Ehram weaving is still exercised thanks to the projects across the province. Ehram is woven in a rectangular form by being patterned with a plain weave weft of wool material and coloured pattern yarns. Depending on the weaving loom and the size of the weave, it is sewn in the middle by weaving double wings. Woven ehrams are 80-90 cm wide and 500 cm long. Pattern threads are purple, claret red, green, brick red, red, white, dark blue, blue, light blue, green, pink. Erzurum Ehram has pattern names such as Mirrored Box, Apple Basket. Ehram/Ihram is a word of Arabic origin, and it is derived from the words haram (unlawful) and mahrem (private). It is the local dress of women living in the provinces of Bayburt, Erzurum and Şanlıurfa, especially in the Eastern and Southeastern Anatolian regions. They use the ehram as an upper clothing when going out. To make a generalization, if a light coloured ehram is used, the woman is young, and if it is dark, she is old. In Erzurum, young girls wear white, middle-aged women wear purple and grey, and old women wear purple and black ehrams. Bridal ehram (white coloured), bundle ehram, backward ehram/head ehram, have been used as daily ehrams. Within the scope of Industrial Property Law No. 6769, Erzurum Aziziye Municipality has taken the source of country/geographical indication no. 364 for the protection of Erzurum Ehram as of 03.03.2015.