In addition to natural mountain honey, another trademark product of the province of Erzurum is the Oltu Tasi (oltu stone), a kind of natural black jet found in the town of Oltu in the province of Erzurum. Also known as the black amber, Oltu stone is a semi-precious gemstone used frequently in the manufacturing of prayer beads and other jewellery.
The unique property of oltu stone is, it is soft when excavated and only begins to harden after coming into contact with the air, which makes it relatively easy to be molded or crafted into the shapes desired.
In the city centre of Erzurum, there is one entire building dedicated to the sale of this regional speciality. Known as the Tashan (Stone Inn), the two storey complex built in the medieval ages are full of shops selling everything that are made from the Oltu stone. As soon as you enter the inn, you are greeted by some giant oltu stone prayer beads in the courtyard.
In addition to the shops that lined the courtyard of the ground floor, there are more shops on the first floor that display a huge array of jewellery and items made of the stone. The interior of the complex is very brightly lit, with colourful ceiling paintings and a very airy touch.
As in the rest of Turkey, Oltu stone jewellery are sold by weight at the time of purchase. As Erzurum is not a popular destination for foreign tourists, only a very small number of shopkeepers speak English or another foreign tongue. But this place is still an interesting sight to visit, especially if you are looking for a special souvenir to go home with.
Copyrights@2012. All text and photos by YC Cheng. All Rights Reserved.
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