Ayancık Göynek Yakası

Ayancık Göynek Yakası is a traditional craft product unique to the district of Ayancık in the Sinop province of Türkiye’s Black Sea Region. The göynek collars worn by local women in both daily life and on special occasions are regarded not merely as aesthetic details but as carriers of cultural identity.

The history of göynek collars is deeply intertwined with Ayancık’s linen weaving tradition. This craft tradition, sustained since the 1950s through various technical adaptations, has been shaped by the skill and interpretation of women. Embroideries applied on fabrics woven from linen or cotton reflect a local manifestation of Anatolia’s textile heritage.

The Ayancık Göynek Yakası has been granted legal protection under Law No. 6769 on Industrial Property as a geographical indication with registration number 228 on 15 November 2017, registered by the Ayancık People’s Education Center and Akşam Art School Directorate. This certification affirms the regional character and cultural uniqueness of its production methods.

Technical Structure and Processing Methods

Göynek collars are typically embroidered on fabrics woven from cotton and linen thread. Embroidery can be applied directly onto the göynek or first executed on a separate fabric and then mounted onto the göynek collar.

The traditional cleaning method in the region, the use of ash water, signifies cultural continuity in the maintenance of these embroideries.

Embroidery practices are categorized into three main techniques:

• Oya Yaka: Executed using a technique called zürefa, where the thread is wrapped approximately eight times around the needle and worked with the aid of a loom.
• Sökme Yaka: Applied by reversing the process, using kanava, verep hesap needle, and ajur techniques without a loom.
• Yüzlü Yaka: Done from the front side of the fabric using the kanava technique, where the motif is directly and visibly transferred onto the fabric surface.

Ayancık Göynek Yakası (Culture Portal)

Traditional Technique Nomenclature

In the Ayancık region, the embroidery techniques applied to göynek collars are known by unique local names. Each technique presents a distinct narrative through its formal characteristics and cultural associations:

• Harem Suyu: Features wavy, flowing motifs that evoke the movement of water.
• Gaytan: Defined by curved lines resembling thread strips.
• Dırnak: Comprises sharp, pointed lines and angular forms.
• Eğri Yengil: Consists of delicate motifs with soft, undulating curves.
• Zarif Ayşe: Offers simple, balanced, and refined compositions.
• Düz Oya: Embroideries created with straight, uninterrupted lines.
• Hünkâr Merdiveni: Features stepped motifs that rise gradually like stairs.
• Lenger Gıyısı: Embroidered with contours resembling traditional garment edges.
• Gapton Paşa Gucaklaması: Characterized by broad, embracing patterns.
• Maydonoz: Draws inspiration from nature through botanical motifs.
• Tekli Dik Gırma: A gırma technique applied in a single vertical row.
• Çift Dik Gırma: Embroidery executed along two parallel vertical lines.
• Mısgalı Gırma: A local technique defined in folk terminology within traditional nomenclature.

These names elevate embroidery from a mere technical process to a tangible element of folk culture. Each collar bears traces not only of the maker’s skill but also of her cultural memory.

Ayancık Göynek Yakası (Culture Portal)

Production Process and Current Status

Today, the craft of Ayancık göynek yakası is sustained primarily through the production of souvenir items. Due to the high level of manual labor and patience required, the work is carried out voluntarily by women.

The declining traditions of linen weaving and göynek embroidery in the region were revitalized in 2020 through the launch of the “Linen Thread Production Project”. Conducted in collaboration between the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the United Nations Anatolia-Efes Project, this initiative strengthened the technical infrastructure of local production. The previously closed Kurtuluş Primary School was repurposed as the “Linen House,” housing weaving workshops, spinning sections, exhibition areas, and a linen cultivation field.

Women collect vintage göynek collars and reinterpret them by transforming them into bags, accessories, or garments, thereby ensuring the sustainability of regional products.

Cultural Function and Transmission to the Future

The Ayancık göynek yakası is regarded not merely as a garment element but as a cultural memory artifact. The registration as a geographical indication ensures the legal and ethical protection of traditional production methods, while the active participation of women in production sustains the vitality of cultural transmission.