Tahtacılar | |
|---|---|
 Tahtacı women | |
| Total population | |
| 300,000–500,000 (1987)[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Turkey;Mediterranean Region,Aegean Region | |
| Languages | |
| Turkish | |
| Religion | |
| Islam (Alevism) | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Turkish people and otherTurkic peoples |
Tahtacı (Turkish:Tahtacılar,lit. 'woodworkers') are a subgroup of ethnicTurkish people living mainly in the forested areas ofAegean andMediterranean regions ofTurkey.
Historically engaged in woodworking sincethe Ottoman period, they trace their origins to theÜçok Turkomans. Due to theirAlevi faith, they often lived in secluded areas, preserving a unique blend ofTengrism andAlevi-Bektashi traditions. Their cultural heritage is reflected in their craftsmanship, rituals, and way of life, which remain closely tied to nature.[2][3][4]
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Tahtacı originate from theÜçok (lit. 'three arrow')Turkomans.[5] The Tahtacı inTaurus Mountains felled timber, which was then sent from Antalya, Alanya, Finike and other ports. The export of timber was a government monopoly, custom receipts from timber and pitch reaching about 3,500gold ducats in 1477.[6]: 128
WhenTimur tookTurkestan andGreater Khorasan under his rule, some of the Agaceris, who had to leave their homeland, settled inIran and the majority inAnatolia. According to some other sources, a great migration wave took place in 466, and the Agaceri tribes belonging to the Huns came and settled in Anatolia. After theinvasion of Anatolia by the Mongols, Agaceris who came here migrated toSyria and Iraq this time to hide from theMongols. It is accepted that some of them returned toAnatolia in 1405 after Timur's death and were known as 'Tahtacı' from this period. It is known thatMehmed the Conqueror brought Tahtacı people from the villages in the Kaz Mountains of Balıkesir for the construction of the ships used during theconquest of Istanbul in 1453.[7]In the written sources, the name Tahtacı is first encountered in the Ottoman tax population cadastral registers in the 16th century asCemāat-ı Tahtacıyān (lit. 'woodworker community').[8]
After theBattle of Chaldiran in 1514,Ottoman Empire under the rule ofSelim I started targetingAlevis. This has caused Tahtacı people to move their already secluded lives even to a further extent in forestry areas of Southern and Western Anatolia. As the minorityShiites underSunni rule of the Ottoman Empire, they frequently requested help and protection from theSafavids, the only Shiite state of the time, and the Ottomans' neighbor and enemy.[9]
Tahtacıs mainly live inMersin,Adana,Antalya,Denizli,Isparta,Burdur,Muğla,Aydın,İzmir,Manisa,Balıkesir andÇanakkale.[10]
Villages inMersin Province:
Villages inAntalya Province:
Villages inBalıkesir Province:
Villages inÇanakkale Province:
Villages inGaziantep Province:
Tahtacı areAleviTurkomans.[14] Although there is evidence ofShamanism in their beliefs and lifestyles, this culture they preserve has blended with and heavily influencedAlevi beliefs and customs over the course of History. Tahtacı Turkomans put their favourite items and clothes in their graves, which is an example of theirshamanistic customs.[15]Ahmad Yasawi andPir Sultan Abdal among others are some of the most respected religious figures among Tahtacı.[16]Bektashism was particularly strong among theTurkomans of Taurus mountains (principally the Tahtaci and Varsak tribes).[6]: 194
Tahtacı have always lived together with nature throughout history. They have a great cultural richness with their clothing, handicrafts and food cultures. In terms of customs and traditions, they carry traces ofCentral Asian Turkish culture. Tahtacı men and women work together in woodworking, which they pursue as a craft. Some of them, due to the decreasing public pressure after the declaration of theRepublic, started adopting various other jobs.[17]
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