METALWORK

Turkish Metalwork

With a history dating back more than 9,000 years, Turkish metal-smiths have been creating decorative and functional pieces for centuries. Some of the earliest examples were excavated from the Neolithic settlement of Çatalhöyük. Çatalhöyük, which literally means fork mound, existed from approximately 7,500 BC to 5,700 BC.

During the Ottoman Empire, the craft was applied to the making of armor, daggers, knives, shields and swords. In 15th century, when the Ottomans embarked on the conquest to become a world power, lands rich in gold and silver were seized and the craft evolved to include fine works of art and jewelry. For domestic use, copper was and continues to be the most popular raw material.

Today, metals are crafted by highly-skilled artisans who carry on the ancient art of Anatolian metalworking. Using traditional spinning and hammering techniques, they shape the solid metal and then polish the exterior to a brilliant finish.