Hello, I’m İsrafil.
I am a licensed professional tourist guide in Istanbul, the author of How to Read a Turkish Carpet, and an independent researcher in the philosophy of art. My work explores how Turkish carpets communicate through motifs, colors, materials, and craftsmanship. Through my tours and writing, I help people learn to read what others only see.
Motifs are words.
Patterns are sentences.
From language teacher to carpet reader.
Born in 1982 in Ağrı, Türkiye, İsrafil Öncel holds a bachelor’s degree in English Language Teaching and a master’s degree in Educational Sciences, and is currently preparing for a PhD in the philosophy of art. He is a licensed professional tour guide in Istanbul, a writer, and an independent researcher specializing in Turkish carpets, symbolism, and the philosophy of art.
For more than a decade, he has been guiding travelers through Istanbul’s historic caravanserais, mosques, and museums. His work goes beyond storytelling, inviting people to notice what is often overlooked: the hidden language of objects, spaces, and traditions.
After fifteen years of teaching in different regions of Turkey, he shifted his focus toward art and interpretation.
He approaches Turkish carpets not simply as decorative objects, but as visual texts shaped by memory, belief, and aesthetic structure.
His work brings together practice and theory, offering readers and travelers a new way of seeing.
Born in Ağrı
Born in eastern Türkiye, in the shadow of Mount Ararat.
BA in English Language Teaching
Followed by a master’s degree in Educational Sciences.
Teaching across Türkiye
Language teaching in different regions, years that showed him how meaning is built step by step.
Licensed Istanbul guide
Guiding travelers through Istanbul’s historic caravanserais, mosques and museums.
Philosophy of art
Preparing for a PhD in the philosophy of art while continuing his research on Turkish carpets and symbolism.
Knowledge before purchase.
The experience begins with understanding: how carpets are made, what their motifs communicate, and how craftsmanship and materials influence quality and value.
Education first
Learn how to recognize materials, techniques, motifs, and craftsmanship before making any decision.
Independent guidance
If you wish to acquire a carpet, İsrafil helps you choose a piece suited to your home, taste, and budget.
Authentic craft
Discover traditional weaving, silk production, natural dyes, and the work behind every handmade carpet.
Meaning and memory
Explore how motifs and patterns carry the memories, beliefs, hopes, and experiences of their weavers.
