In a small workshop in Syria’s Aleppo province, Yememe Turkmeni carefully presses heated metal tools against natural leather, creating intricate motifs through a craft now practiced by only a handful of artisans in the region.
The 53-year-old retired handicrafts teacher and mother of four has spent 26 years practicing leather burning, a rare art requiring precise control of heat and pressure to produce fine details, shading and variations in tone without damaging the material.
Although the craft was once widely practiced in Aleppo, Turkmeni said it had gradually faded as fewer people learned its techniques.
“Despite its long history, this craft had been almost forgotten in Aleppo,” she told Anadolu. “Many people practiced wood burning, but very few worked on leather.”
Working alongside her daughters, Turkmeni turns natural leather into bags, wall panels, tabletop artworks and decorative objects carrying traditional motifs.
She said her artistic journey began when she designed leather bags for herself and her daughters. Encouragement and growing demand from those around her later prompted her to broaden the range of items she produced.
Her participation in exhibitions also influenced her work, particularly after she noticed strong demand from Syrians living abroad for smaller pieces that could be easily transported.
“I noticed at exhibitions that smaller and lighter pieces were more popular,” she said. “People living abroad, in particular, prefer works that are easy to transport. I therefore began focusing more on these products.”
Each piece is unique
Unlike standardized materials, natural leather gives every artwork a different appearance, Turkmeni said.
The animal’s age and species, along with the part of the hide used, can affect the material’s color, texture and response to heat.
“Even if I use the same design, no two pieces can be completely identical,” she said. “Each piece develops a different color and texture.”
Finding suitable leather, however, remains one of the greatest challenges for her work.
The burning technique requires natural, undyed leather, but most leather available on the market have already been treated or colored.
“The leather I work with must be natural,” she said. “However, since most leather available on the market is dyed, I have to source suitable leather specially.”
Passing the craft on to a new generation
Turkmeni has taught her daughters the technique, although their education has limited the amount of time they can spend working together.
She now hopes to introduce the craft to more young people and prevent it from disappearing altogether.
Pointing to leather’s historical use as a surface for writing and communication, Turkmeni said the craft has never received the recognition it deserved.
“This is a very old profession. It is known that the earliest writings and some messages in history were inscribed on leather,” she said. “However, this art has not received the attention it deserves to this day.”
Turkmeni believes traditional handicrafts can survive if younger generations are encouraged to preserve and develop them through contemporary designs and small-scale projects.
“We have highly valuable handicrafts in our culture. By developing them, we can turn them into successful projects,” she said.
“I want to teach this craft to young people, free of charge if necessary, because this art must be kept alive.”
