Search

The first mineral discovered and processed by humanity was copper. Then, with the discovery of gold, silver and other metals, many developments that will make life easier have been experienced one after the other. Mining activities in Anatolia, which is described as the cradle of mining, combined with the knowledge and experience that the Turks brought from Central Asia to these lands, continued on their way with original works produced with different construction and decoration techniques. Especially in the Seljuk, Beylics, and Ottoman periods, copper was preferred more in the production of pots that would have the function of cooking, transporting and serving, due to its ease of processing, durability, and ability to alloy with various metals and distribute heat evenly. The fact that the Anatolian people attribute meaning to eating and drinking beyond a physiological need has affected the preparation and cooking methods of the food, as well as the materials and forms of the tools used in the kitchen and the pots and dishes in which the food is served. As a result, the coppersmith of Anatolia turned the craft into art by incorporating his taste and aesthetic understanding while producing the kitchenware needed by the people. In Sivas, which has been among the important trade and cultural centers of Anatolia since the first ages, coppersmith and tinsmith workshops that have been producing intensively since the Seljuk period continued their production in the Ottoman Period. In our research in the region, XVIII to XIX. In the 19th century, a large number of copper kitchen utensils manufactured in local workshops have been identified. Among these vessels, twelve trays, which draw attention with their production and decoration techniques, were photographed onsite, their catalogs were prepared and an effort was made to introduce them within the scope of the article. In this study, it is aimed to contribute to the documentation of the rich diversity of Turkish Metal Art. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]