Rumi Motif This motif is a very popular design that has been used throughout the history of the Ottoman Empire and is still being used today in modern day Turkey. It is pronounced as 'roomee' and the word Rumi means Anatolian. Its roots date back to the Seljuk Empire in the 11th and 12th century. It is thought that the floral aspect of this motif resembles the anatomy of an animal but in a stylized manner.      © Sultan Bath Inc., 2007. All rights reserved.