Keeping Kırşehir's cultural values' alive with leatherwork

Kırşehir, which has hosted many civilizations, has become an essential city with the settlement of Turks in Anatolia during the Seljuq Period. The dominance of Turkish culture in the region has made the province a rich center in the field of handicrafts. One of these handicrafts is leatherwork. When Ahi Evran, the founder of the Ahi, had to migrate from Kayseri as a result of the oppression of the Mongols and settled in Kırşehir, the art of leatherwork,has also established a rooted tradition in the region.Nevertheless, this handicraft that was brought to Kırşehir by Ahi Evran, who is considered as the master of the leather makers, started to decline and completed its era like other handicrafts as a result of changing living conditions. In this study, it is aimed to take Kırşehir's cultural values as the foundation and transferring them to leather products. The province has a rich cultural accumulation from architecture to handicrafts, from music culture to traditions. Cacabey Madrasa, Ahi Culture, Abdal Culture, weaving, marriage customs, and Kırşehir's map were selected to transfer these cultural values to leather products, and designs that reflecting these cultural values best were put forward in first place. Subsequently, the designs were put on leather with appropriate techniques and methods and turned into some ornaments and daily items.