Handcrafted Folk Dolls

Folkloric doll making which has been one of the traditional handicrafts that allow cultural exchange between generations and regions is nowadays a lost tradition. There are two techniques in folkloric doll making; the first method consists of stretching the fabric through the face of the doll and stitching the face in order to make features. In the second technique, layers of cotton are pasted with tragacanth over the face that is wrapped around a wire and a paper and paint is applied once the cotton gets dry.  Tragacanth is the juice of a wild thorn bush that grows in the south and southeast regions of Anatolia. Due to its adhesive nature it is widely used in dolls and paper marbling however it is also consumed as natural medicine and food. Costumes and ornaments of the dolls reflect the different traditional styles of the different Anatolian regions.