Once in a while one comes across some special art. This is the art of “ebru”: put oil in a wide flat container, and spatter paint or ink (don’t know) on it. Due to the forces of nature the spots will rearrange into a nice, marble-like pattern. Then add specific, larger green spots, that you break open with a twig, they will form leave like forms. Next add some bright red spots, they – after some stirring – will be tulips. Put a piece of paper on top, and just pull it off again (it can be done with silk also). It’s like printing, but quite different, and can be very beautiful. For more, buy the – expensive but great – book by Glassie: Traditional Turkish Art today, where many, many Turkish art forms are shown, with their artists and products. By then you will want to start collecting.

Tokat has been (and still is) famous for his old crafts: ‘bakırcılık’ (copper work), ‘dokumacılık’ (fabric weaving), ‘halıcılık’ (carpet weaving) and some twenty more trades. The most important one however is ‘yazmacılık’, the production of wood-printed cloth, for which Tokat is Turkey’s leading production center.

Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen.
Source: ‘Tokat’ (Ersal Yavi) – Tokat Otelcilik ve Turizm A.Ş. (1986).
& Personnal visits (1989 + 1997).