The demand for mohair carpets handmade in Hasankeyf, the historical district of Batman, has increased due to the natural gas crisis in Europe.

Mehmet Arif Ayhan, 46, continues the ancestral mohair carpet producing tradition in Hasankeyf and sells them abroad upon the request of those who suffer from heating problem. Saying that he has sold especially large mohair blankets to European countries, Ayhan said “They buy our mohair carpets because they are both natural and healthy. We step barefoot on these carpets or lay them under our beds. We lay a thin sheet on mohair carpets and lie on it.”

Ayhan also said that he currently has carpets that were used in 1960s and that he provides 5-years of warranty to the clients.

Osman Arslan – Abdulaziz Karataş