The Women in White: Traditions and Assets the Photo Reflects

Abstract

In this paper, a photo shot in Dagkuplu, a mountainous village located in Eskisehir /Turkey, is discussed. In the photo, women who turn their backs to the camera with mostly white headscarves (ortme) are seen. In this study, it is suggested that one can gain knowledge about symbolic use of weaving and fabric through this one photo only. The photo, for this purpose, has been interpreted using cultural / social history approach of the image. As a result of the analysis, the following findings were obtained: almost all women are dressed in accordance with village dressing syntagm which makes them identical. Women's weaving white headscarves is not a coincidence and gives us knowledge that they are in the middle of a ceremony environment. Moreover, the details of the ortme reflect the knowledge that most of the women are married. Edges of the ortme and the quality of their fabric also allow us to speculate about weaving in the village. In this context, a shift from cotton weavings to ready-made scarves is observed. Furthermore, the women decorate the edges of ready-made scarves with modern techniques such as dyeing and ready-made lacework.