The motifs on weavings, which have an ancient history in Turkish culture, are a source for expressing beliefs, feelings and thoughts. The motifs, whose semantic sources come from elements such as mythology, religion, belief, rituals, have been transformed into a formal dimension on weavings by symbolizing tangible and / or intangible elements. Although some of the motifs we encounter in the weavings of many regions are formally the same, they can be called by different names in different regions of the same geography, and they can also represent opposite feelings, thoughts and beliefs. In the studies to be conducted on weavings, which are an important heritage of Turkish culture and handicrafts, it is necessary to take motif records as well as the technical features of the product. In addition, it is also important for the sustainability and recognition of cultural heritage to analyze and make sense of the indicator strings of local weavings, to read the messages that the composition features want to convey on the weaving examined and to transfer the codes to future generations. In this study, the implicit meanings of the motifs that enable the weavings to become an element of communication by getting rid of the task of sheltering and covering were tried to be read using semiotic analysis methods. Today, many branches of art are analyzed by utilizing semiotics theory and methods, the main purpose of which is to examine meaning and meaning formation. The motifs that make up the composition of the Kilim Prayer Rug selected as an example in the study are considered in two sections as the upper plan and the colors as the background, and all the signifiers in the foreground and background are subjected to reading together. The sample indicator, signifier, signified, sequential and syntactic analyzes were made, and it was tried to be explained with the contrasts of plain meaning and connotation.
Keywords: rug, prayer rug, motif, symbol, semiotics