Weaving the History: Mystery of a City, Sof exhibition explores the
history of the Angora goat and its precious mohair and the premium,
luxurious fabric called sof produced from the Angora goat's brilliant
unadulterated mohair yarn during the Ottoman Era. Sof production and
mohair weaving once shaped the economy and social life of Ankara,
especially in the 16th century ceased to an end in the 19th century and
sof has become a forgotten value. This exhibition catalog documents the
making of a research- based exhibition. Furthermore, it aims to become a
reference book for researchers by compiling objects demonstrating the
importance of the Angora goat and the usages of mohair together with
presenting articles authored by researchers from various disciplines.
Articles compiled in the first part of this book focus on subjects such
as the roots of weaving in Anatolia, biological characteristics of the
Angora goat, the Angora goat economy in the 19th century and the changes
in the Angora goat density in Ankara, the adventure of the Angora goat
in France and South Africa, the history of the Angora goat and mohair
production in Ankara, mohair supply chain in the republican period, the
use of the Angora goat as a symbol in the designs of banknotes, stamps
and logos, the story of the 18th century painting the "View of Ankara"
from Rijksmuseum collection which is the oldest painting known to depict
Ankara and mohair weaving.
The exhibition catalog features objects and artefacts from Koç
University Vehbi Koç Ankara Studies Research Center VEKAM's library and
archive, museum and personal collections. Among these, 16th and 17th
century examples from mohair from the Topkapi Palace collection, 19th
and 20th century clothing fashioned from mohair and sof from Sadberk
Hanim Museum collection and sof fabric samples from Ethnographical
Museum of Ankara collection and View of Ankara from Rijkmuseum portrays
the importance of mohair and exemplifies its usages. A compilation of
engravings, rare books, photographs about the Angora goat and mohair
preparation tools and natural dyes used for dyeing mohair, in addition
to contemporary woven and knitted mohair examples are also included in
this catalog for readers to trace both the history and the processes
included in mohair related production in Ankara and Anatolia.
