Fish Motifs in the Turkish Decorative Arts

Abstract

The fish motif has an important place in the Creation Epic of Altay Region. While the fish is depicted as abundance, prosperity, productivity in
the Turkish communities living in the shores of lake and river, it is also used as the symbol of happiness and reproduction in marriage. Fish means
faith in Christianity and it represents faith integrated in Jesus. The four fish motif that is on the decorations of Aya Sophia’s ceiling is the meaning
of this. In the Turkish Islamic Art, its depiction connected with Prophet Jonah is a point at issue. Fish is a motif that is attributed important symbolic
functions but seen less in decorations. In this paper, the fish motifs handled in areas such as weaving, copper, metalwork, ceramics, tiles, mosaics,
stone masonry, and also symbolic meanings, artistic features, graphical analysis of it will be emphasized.