18th-Century Ottoman Carpets Found with Emoji-Like Faces

Emoji-like face motifs have been discovered on 18th-century Ottoman carpets during inventory work at the Tokat Mevlevihane Museum in Türkiye. Despite being registered in the 20th century, the carpets feature smiling and angry faces resembling modern emojis. Experts say the find offers new insight into Anatolian culture’s early use of symbolic emotional expression, predating the globally known 1963 “smiley face” by centuries. Tokat Foundations Regional Manager Sebahattin Erdoğan noted the motifs reveal the cultural depth and artistic language of Turkish carpet tradition.