Elma Çiçeği Meaning: The Apple Blossom Motif in Turkish Craft
AURYN Editorial
Elma çiçeği means "apple blossom" in Turkish, and it names a floral motif found in Anatolian carpets and in oya, the delicate needle lace that Turkish women traditionally use to edge headscarves. In a craft tradition where flowers carry messages, the apple blossom is one of the most graceful.
Where the motif appears
Turkish academic studies of Anatolian carpets and of oya record the apple blossom among the named floral motifs of these crafts. In oya in particular, flowers were a quiet language: the choice of flower on a woman's scarf edge could express her mood, her hopes or her stage of life.
What it has come to represent
The apple tree is a familiar image of fruitfulness, and its blossom of spring and promise. The motif is therefore commonly associated with youth, love, hope and the expectation of a fruitful life. As with many folk motifs, those readings vary by region and maker rather than following a single fixed code.
The apple blossom in jewellery
A small floral motif translates naturally into jewellery. An Elma Çiçeği design references Anatolian craft and the hopeful symbolism of blossom. Take a look at the AURYN Elma Çiçeği charm, or read about the Başak wheat-ear motif.
