On November 29, another object of Turkey was included in the list of intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO – this is the “traditional Ahlat masonry”, a unique stone carving that has been common for thousands of years in the city of Ahlat.
This was reported by the Turkish Foreign Ministry, specifying that the Ahlat masonry was included in the list of intangible cultural heritage in need of protection.
The technique of “traditional Akhlat masonry” has long been used to create structures – buildings and tombs – in the eastern province of Bitlis, located on the shores of Lake Van. Nearby is Mount Nemrut, rich in volcanic rocks.
Stone quarrying in Ahlat is distinguished by a unique method that uses long metal rods in the form of levers and iron wedges to separate stone blocks. Then the finished blocks are decorated with carvings with floral, geometric, and calligraphic patterns.
In total, there are 22 UNESCO heritage sites in Turkey.