Filigree and Niello Techniques in Jewelery That Are Integral Parts of Traditional Anatolian Clothing

Anatolia is a rich cultural region with a long tradition of jewelry making. Rather than being an attempt to stand out in society by being adorned, the first jewelry used had implications connected to fertility spells and protection. Having many distinguished connotations today, jewelry may be defined as "special items in which traditions and beliefs play an important role in their creation and use, typically made of metal and decorated with stones, and mostly used by women for adornment.” Gold is one of the most valuable and commonly used material in jewelry manufacturing, despite the use of many other ones. There are numerous construction techniques when we examine the processing methods that are employed. The earliest and most exquisite forms of Turkish jewelry art are the ones employing filigree and niello techniques. Data obtained from archaeological excavations show that filigree technique has existed since 3000 BC. In Mesopotamia, it dates back to 2500 BC. This technique continues to be used in Anatolia to this day. The craft of filigree, as demonstrated by the surviving examples, originated primarily in Southeast Anatolia and disseminated throughout the Turkish people starting in the 15th century. Filigree engraving has survived to this day thanks to jewelers, whose trade circle shrank as the jewelry craft transformed as a result of industrialization. The main locations where filigree craft is still practiced are Mardin, Midyat, Ankara, Beypazarı, and Trabzon. Niello, a jewelry-processing technique that originated in the Caucasus and Dagestan about 200 years ago, was one of the most well-liked handicrafts of the Ottoman Empire. This technique is among the silver-smiting techniques used in 120 workshops in the province of Van, particularly during the 1800s. It is one of the handicrafts that has persisted and is still being practiced today.