Turkey has a vastly rich & diverse history dating back thousands of years and as a testament to the archaeological discoveries, practices & artefacts it holds, there are already 18 properties that are protected under the UNECSCO flag, as ‘sites of historical & cultural interest’.
For 2021’s entries Turkey have submitted three new cultural values to be considered to join the prestigious list, and these are the ‘stonemasonry tradition in the Ahlat region’, ‘mother of pearl inlays’ and ‘the ancient & traditional method of producing silk for weaving’.
The Ahlat stonemasons formed an extremely important role in the structural aspects of ‘building the region from the ground up’, with many of the stones they dug from the quarry going on to build headstones & important buildings once they had been processed. Much of their work can still be seen throughout the region including in the Ahlat Seljuk Meydan Cemetery in Eastern Turkey.
Though important in the History of Turkey, both ‘Mother of Pearl Inlays’ and ‘Silk producing’ are synonymous with other cultures throughout the world, so in recognition of this Turkey have submitted both of these as multi-national entries.
It’s definitely worth noting that although it wasn’t granted UNESCO status last year, the ‘Islamic Fine Art of Calligraphy’ will also be considered as an entry again later on this year.
