Copper in Anatolia

The evidence that has come to light in recent archaeological excavations prove that mining started 10,000 years ago in Cayonu ın Anatolia. However, the fırst refining processes are thought to have taken place in Catalhoyuk in the 7th century B.C.

Anatolia: The birthplace of metallurgy

Metallurgy in its true sense began with the smelting of copper. For that reason the history of copper can be accepted as the history of metallurgy. Beating techniques are the oldest in the history of metallurgy. The earth of Anatolia has rich lodes of ore. According to research, there are close to 500 rich copper seams in Anatolia. Many of these have been worked since antiquity.

Extraordinary workmanship

We know that sophisticated metal workshops which used various techniques existed in Anatolia in the Roman and Byzantine era from the large number of objects that have survived. We witness that the Islamic art of metalworking started a significant development during the Seljuk period. It is accepted that the Seljuks brought an important innovation to the Islamic art of metalwork through their use of brass alloys. Each one of the objects attributed to the Seljuks shows an extraordinary degree of artistry and workmanship. The Near Eastern market for blue and white Chinese porcelain which started to gain popularity from the middle of the 14th century caused the Islamic art of metalworking. to stagnate and regress. But immediately after the formation of the Ottoman Empire, the copper mines in Anatolia and the Balkans were worked heavily and as a result of this metalwork reached a peak during the Ottoman period. During the Ottoman Empire, because copper was used for weaponry, coining money and everyday utensils, metal workshops were used widely and the mines were worked continuously until the middle of the 19th century.

Almost all of the copper objects produced during the Ottoman period are works of great artistry and craftsmanship, displaying a rich variety of form and ornamentation that reflects local traditions of different areas in the Balkans and Anatolia. Among the best known centers of metalworking are Ustovo, Petkovo, Scopia, Piristina, and Sarajevo in the Balkans and Gaziantep, Kahramanmaraş, Mardın, Diyarbakır, Siirt, Malatya,Elazığ, Erzurum,Trabzon, Giresun, Ordu, Sivas,Tokat, Kayseri, Çankırı, Çorum, Amasya, Kastamonu, Gerede, Konya, Burdur, Denizli, Muğla, Kavaklıdere, Afyon, Kütahya, Balıkesir, Bursa , Istanbul and Edirne in Turkey. These centers are among those in which traditional metal workshops have operated successfully using a variety of techniques since the Ottoman period.

Decorative copper pieces

Copper kitchen utensils maintained their popularity until the emergence of cheaper alternatives such as aluminum and plastic in the 1950s. But the traditional art of copperwork has survived by emphasizing decorative pieces rather than cooking utensils. The pots that were banished from our kitchens 50 years ago now decorate our living rooms and dining rooms.Ornamental copper objects are popular export goods and are used to serve meals in large touristic hotels. This has given birth to a new sector that has preserved the ancient art of copperworking. Today, there still are hundreds of copper workshops in Istanbul and throughout Anatolia.