In a workshop resonant with the metallic percussion of hammering, Zekeriya Dogan transforms copper sheets into delicate culinary vessels, his palms tracing strategies handed down by way of generations.
Every strike of his hammer in opposition to gleaming metallic tells a narrative of cultural heritage slowly fading into reminiscence.
Nestled within the historic streets of Trabzon, a metropolis perched on the Black Coastline, Dogan’s atelier is a sanctuary of conventional craftsmanship. Cabinets lined with intricately crafted pots, lids, and teapots stand as silent witnesses to an artwork kind struggling to outlive in an period of mass manufacturing and technological comfort.
“Copper was the lifeblood of our ancestors’ kitchens in the course of the Ottoman Empire,” Dogan stated, his voice tinged with a combination of pleasure and melancholy. “Now, youthful generations want chrome steel and non-stick surfaces, relegating our craft to the margins of contemporary life.”
The decline is stark and simple. The place as soon as practically 100 copper producers populated this avenue, now solely three or 4 stay. This dramatic contraction displays broader financial and cultural shifts difficult conventional artisanal practices throughout Türkiye.
The challenges are multifaceted. Copper cookware calls for meticulous upkeep — common cleansing and re-tinning that fashionable customers discover labor-intensive. Moreover, the craft’s labor-intensive nature makes its merchandise considerably costlier than mass-produced options, additional diminishing its market enchantment.
Anatolian lands, the cradle of coppersmithing on the planet, even have wealthy copper ore deposits. For instance, teachers have famous that the Ergani copper deposit in jap Anatolia has been a web site of copper mining for over 7,000 years. In keeping with stories, there are practically 500 copper ore deposits in Anatolia as we speak.
Organizations just like the Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Artisans are mounting efforts to protect this endangered craft. By means of workshops, monetary assist, and cultural preservation initiatives, they hope to reignite curiosity in a ability that represents centuries of culinary and metallurgic custom.
But the elemental query stays: Can a craft rooted in generations of ability and persistence survive in a world more and more pushed by effectivity and on the spot gratification?
“We aren’t simply making cookware,” Dogan stated. “We’re preserving a bit of our cultural reminiscence.” ■
