Traditionally in Turkey, it is believed that a simple glass blue eye can ward off evil and bring luck and success.
You can see blue eyes hanging in homes and shops or incorporated into buildings and jewelry.
Blue eyes come in all shapes and sizes and make an authentic and inexpensive souvenir of Turkey.

For centuries, Oriental Carpets have been considered works of art. The earliest example of knotted-pile carpet was found in a frozen tomb at Pazyryk in Siberia and is now displayed in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Turkey has one of the greatest weaving cultures in history. Turkish carpets and rugs have a universal reputation for their unique designs, color combinations and durability. Traditionally colors are extracted from vegetable and plant dyes. Among the best known production centers are Hereke, Istanbul, Yahyali, Milas, Kayseri, Sivas and Isparta.

Leather Clothing

Leather and leather working is a deep rooted branch of art in Turkey. Turks have used leather since early times and leather has played a prominent role on their clothing and early life.

A wide variety of leather goods are available including handbags, purses, belts and clothing. Leather goods are excellent value when compared with Europe and North America.

The art of pottery making has been a tradition in Turkey for many centuries. Production is centered around Avanos (Venessa of Hittites) in the Cappadocia region. The town is located on the banks of the River Kizilirmak (ancient Halys). The distinctive red clay from the river is used in pottery-making.

There are about 300 workshops in the region producing hand made crafts. If you drop into one of them, staff are friendly and welcoming to anyone who wishes to try his or her hand at the wheel.

Jewelry

All the civilizations that inhabited Anatolia; Hittites, Uratians, Phrygians, Lydians, Greeks, Romans, Selcuks and Ottomans created their own jewelry styles for religious and decorative purposes.

Today, the Turkish jewelry industry reflects a rich cultural heritage combined with modern innovative designs and technology. A great range of high quality gold and silver jewelry can be found in modern and ancient designs.

Ceramics

Ceramics form a major part of Turkey's artistic tradition. The development of tile and ceramics art began as early as 11th century.

During the 15th and 16th century Iznik developed into a prominent center of production supplying decorative tiles for the new palaces and mosques of Istanbul.

Today both traditional types of ceramics and modern pieces are produced in Iznik, Kutahya and Canakkale.

Onyx

There are substantial onyx reserves in central Anatolia. Onyx occurs in a variety of beautiful colors ranging from black and gray to cream and pink.

Attractive pieces such as chess sets, boxes, bowls, ash trays and vases are widely available at reasonable prices.

Spices

Since medieval times spices have been a vital part of food preparation. The unique location of Istanbul made it an important center for the spice trade. The city is located on the trade routes between East (where most spices are grown) and Europe.

Today you can find a wide range of dried herbs and exotic spices on sale in markets and stores throughout Turkey.

Copper Ornaments

During the Bronze Age, the inhabitants of Anatolia managed to combine bronze with tin and using this alloy produced items such as cooking pots and ornamental objects.

All the civilizations which inhabited Anatolia added their own styles and values when working with metals and these are still reflected in the goods today. A wide variety of attractive hand beaten copper goods can be found such as plates, bowls, kettles and coffee sets.

Turkish Delight

Until the arrival of refined sugar in the late 18th century lokum was a mixture of honey or grape syrup and flour.

Once confectioner Haci Bekir obtained white sugar he developed the smooth, translucent sweet known today as Turkish Delight.

In addition to the traditional rose and lemon flavored varieties you can find many other types such as walnut, pistachio and coconut.

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