enta discords. Yet many of the "mats" are rightly
called Anatolians, and, premising a later chapter, one of the greatest
delights of collecting was to look over a pile of them, with the
never-failing hope of finding some bright particular gem. And these mats
are truly the little gems of Turkish weaving, and in accordance with the
Oriental fondness for jewels and precious stones the suggestion that they
represent inlaid jewelled work has been well imagined. But here again we
cry, "Eheu fugaces!" They have gone. It is idle to look over the pile.
There are no good ones for sale. One explanation of their scarcity is in
the fact that the Armenian dealers have a weakness for these small pieces
themselves, and are wont to indulge their fondness for colour and sheen by
keeping the choice ones for their own use. So the mats of commerce are
either new, coarse, and crude and offensive with arsenical greens and
aniline crimsons and magentas; or they are but soiled patches and bits of
old rugs sewn together. _Caveat emptor!_ and let the buyer look at their
backs before purchasing.

The old Melez rugs, with characteristics peculiar to themselves, are
of almost like importance to the Koniahs and Koulahs. Frequently they have
a suggestion of the Chinese in their figures and decorations. You will
find symbolized dragons pictured on them, also the cypress tree; while in
colour they form a class by themselves, and exhibit shades of lavender,
heliotrope, and violet such as no other kinds may boast. Whatever this dye
may be, and whatever tone of mauve or lilac it may take, you will find it
only in the Melez, a few Bergamas, or in some old Irans, whose race is
practically extinct. Worthy modern Melez are still to be had, and will
improve as they wear; if only they are firm in texture and do not flaunt
the battle-flag colours of Solferino and Magenta.

[Illustration:

PLATE IX.
MELEZ
_Forty or fifty years old_
FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE AUTHOR
Size: 3.10 x 5.3]

The Bergamas come mostly in blues and reds, most prominently set out by
soft ivory white. One of their recognized patterns is quite individual,
and readily marks their class. It is a square of small squares marked off
like a big checker-board. Other small pieces are almost square, with the
field in mosaic-work or flower blossoms. In the fine old specimens, which
used to be, the Bergamas rioted in superb medallions or in a floriated
central figure like a grand bouqu