# Preservation of traditional Turkish crafts and heritage

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/preservation-of-traditional-turkish-crafts-and-heritage
> Updated: 2026-09-10T07:04:23.000Z. Sources: 32. Developments: 9.

Efforts to preserve traditional Turkish crafts and archaeological legacies are being led by veteran practitioners and new entrepreneurs across various regions. In Eskişehir, jeweler Hüseyin Altay maintains the Sivrihisar cebesi, a 1,500 to 1,600-year-old gold weaving tradition, noting it remains “resistant to the influence of artificial intelligence and modern technology.” Other long-standing trades include Mehmet Erdek’s excavation work in Çorum, Mehmet Başaran’s wooden clog making in Gaziantep, and Ali Karakaranfil’s tin plating in Tokat. In Manisa, 92-year-old Mehmet Ali Ağaçcı continues saddle making, while in Kilis, artisans Ahmet and Adil Özuslu maintain the handmade leather footwear craft of yemenicilik.

Challenges regarding succession persist. In Mersin, Bahri Çelik performs grave digging, a demanding role his son, law student Yasin Çelik, assists with to fund his studies. Çelik fears the trade may be forgotten as youth seek more comfortable employment. Similarly, in Gaziantep, Mehmet Uçar, who has repaired bags and suitcases for 30 years, reports a significant struggle to find apprentices, noting that while they once employed ten during the summer, interest has dwindled.

Conversely, some artisans are finding new avenues for survival. In Bursa, master saddler Melih Hızlıkurt has expanded his business to at least 10 countries via a multilingual website. Additionally, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s Living Heritage Festival has highlighted these arts in Kütahya and Bilecik. The festival showcased the intersection of tradition and modern design by decorating TOGG electric vehicles with traditional tile (çini) motifs, and featured demonstrations of endangered crafts such as ebru (paper marbling) by artist Büşra Sayi Çelik.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-10: Living Heritage Festival showcases traditional Turkish arts

The Living Heritage Festival in Turkey showcased traditional crafts, including tile-decorated TOGG vehicles in Kütahya and ebru paper marbling demonstrations in Bilecik.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/living-heritage-festival-showcases-traditional-turkish-arts

### 2026-09-06: Traditional trades face decline as Turkish youth seek new paths

Turkish workers in Mersin and Gaziantep struggle to preserve traditional family trades, such as grave digging and bag repair, amid a shortage of young apprentices interested in manual crafts.

12 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/law-student-works-as-gravedigger-to-fund-studies

### 2026-09-06: Bursa saddler exports traditional handmade crafts to 10 countries

Bursa-based master saddler Melih Hızlıkurt is preserving his family's traditional craft by exporting handmade leather goods to 10 countries via a new digital platform.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/bursa-saddler-exports-traditional-handmade-crafts-to-10-countries

### 2026-09-03: Kilis artisans preserve traditional handmade leather footwear craft

Traditional leather footwear artisans in Kilis, Turkey, struggle to pass down the manual craft of yemenicilik to younger generations.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/kilis-artisans-preserve-traditional-handmade-leather-footwear-craft

### 2026-09-01: Artisans in Turkey preserve traditional crafts and local economies

Artisans in Turkey are sustaining local traditions and economies through saddle making in Manisa and furniture restoration in Düzce.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/artisans-in-turkey-preserve-traditional-crafts-and-local-economies

### 2026-09-01: Ali Karakaranfil preserves traditional tin plating craft in Tokat

An 80-year-old craftsman in Tokat, Turkey, has spent 70 years practicing the traditional art of tin plating to preserve the fading trade.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ali-karakaranfil-preserves-traditional-tin-plating-craft-in-tokat

### 2026-08-27: Traditional artisans preserve heritage crafts in Turkey

Traditional artisans in Turkey are preserving heritage crafts, from 82-year-old shoe repairer Memiş Ergin in Aksaray to weaver Ergül Küçüksipahioğlu in Kastamonu.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/traditional-artisans-preserve-heritage-crafts-in-turkey

### 2026-08-21: Traditional Turkish crafts and archaeological legacies preserved by veteran masters

Veteran craftsmen in Turkey are preserving cultural heritage, from 51 years of archaeological excavation at Hattuşa to the traditional hand-making of wooden clogs in Gaziantep.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/traditional-turkish-crafts-and-archaeological-legacies-preserved-by-veteran-masters

### 2026-08-15: Sivrihisar cebesi: Preserving a 1,600-year-old gold weaving tradition

Jeweler Hüseyin Altay is preserving the 1,600-year-old Sivrihisar cebesi tradition in Turkey, a handmade gold weaving art once used for armor that now produces jewelry valued up to 1 million Liras.

8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sivrihisar-cebesi-preserving-a-1600-year-old-gold-weaving-tradition

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Cite as: Preservation of traditional Turkish crafts and heritage. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/preservation-of-traditional-turkish-crafts-and-heritage