Copperwork

Coppersmithing is one of the oldest urban Kurdish crafts, especially in Diyarbakır, Mardin and Akre. Whole quarters in old Amed are still called the 'coppersmiths' bazaar' and ring with hammers from dawn to dusk. Kurdish coppersmiths shape traditional cooking vessels — large tepsis, twin-handled tea pots, serving trays, incense burners. The great Kurdish masterpiece, however, is the cizve teapot, hand-hammered in successive passes and chiselled with motifs that can take one to two months per piece. Every workshop has its signature; the maker is recognised by the cut of the engraving. The craft is losing ground to cheap Chinese copper today, but a few workshops in Diyarbakır and Akre still work in the old way.