HACIBEKTAŞ STONEWORK WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF FAITH AND PRODUCTION

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Stone cult forms the nature cult in the Turkish mythology together with tree and mountain cults and is regarded as a part of the mountain cult. During the transition from shamanism to Islam, stone preserved its place in religious practice and became a part of the dervish attire. The stone of surrender, palheng and kanberiyye which take place in the Bektashi tradition are examples of such. Meanwhile, Hacıbektaş province became a center where stonework is developed around faith. The first craft guild for stonework is said to be founded in Hacıbektaş lodge. The craft tradition, which descends from father to son, is carried on either with souvenir production or bench –stall– grave production at present day. While souvenir production, which is supported with the touristic potential of the region, is about to disappear with the imported material and items, the few remaining craft masters tend to shift to either stall-grave production or other branches of business. The aim of the study is to inves-tigate how the stonework became a faith based craft and to scrutinize the current state of the craft in Hacıbektaş in recent market and production conditions. Within the framework of the study, interviews were conducted with the stonework masters, the souvenir shop owners, and the staff of Hacıbektaş Museum.

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Stonework , craft , stone cult , souvenir

Turkish Culture and Haci Bektash Veli Research Quarterly

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Turkish Culture and Haci Bektash Veli Research Quarterly