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Now Within Easy Reach

It’s easier than ever now to acquire the works of traditional handicraft artists from all over Turkey.

Those who are acquainted with unglazed pottery maker Necip Savcı, who lives in the village of Medet in Denizli province’s Tavas township, will know. This master produces delicate pots, jugs, pitchers and vases in his makeshift house in the village. Seated at his potter’s wheel, he presses the pedal and shapes the clay. Whatever magic he works, the final result is eggshell-thin. When he’s done he sits down on an old kilim of a-thousand-and-one patterns and, mixing clay with clay and earth with earth, he paints. Afterwards he sketches designs on the objects he has made. And what designs they are! Myriad animals distilled from history, most of all from the Hittites. Following this ritual he fires his wares in a kiln with the help of the other members of the family, mainly his son. Nowadays, since he is a little under the weather, he is accepting more help from his son than before.
But it is when they come out of the kiln that one should be there. Either go to Tavas to see them or tour the various museums in Turkey and look carefully on the museum shop shelves. For it is on those shelves that Necip Savcı’s pots, jugs, pitchers and vases are lined up next to the labors of love of countless other masters from all over Turkey.