Wool carpets provided warmth for the harsh winters, while kilims, also placed on the ground, provided coverings for cushions in a sark-style (or Oriental-style) setting that could later be used to transport the contents of the tent. Prayer rugs, identifiable by a deliberate lack of symmetry (the "arrow" will always be lain in the direction of Mecca), continue to be one of the more beautiful categories of traditional Turkish rugs.

Turkish carpets became one of the more coveted trappings of status in Europe, appearing in the backgrounds of many a Renaissance artist such as Giovanni Bellini and Ghirlandaio. Today, however, even these stunning pieces are part of the traditional Turkish carpet-weaving lexicon.