Hayat agaci (motif)

Motif representing a stylized tree that developed in kilim rug designs, but is also incorporated in other textile designs, mosaics, and other art, particularly in Asia Minor, Armenia, and the Middle East. It is characterized by a symmetrical vertical many-branched stalk or a Y-shaped design having a trunk and two parallel vertical branches. It is a symbol of immortality, symbolically evoking the cypress tree that has durable wood and was believed immortal. Rugs employing this design are often hung upside down, so the roots of the tree are in heaven; the imagery is inspired by passages in the Koran.