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From pieces of rock that he breaks in the mountainous areas of his city in southeastern Turkey, Turkish craftsman Arif Atun makes stone ovens used in traditional crafts such as making bread, meat dough, and biryan.

His skill and mastery of his work spread his fame inside and outside his country, especially since this profession, which he inherited from his father, requires great proficiency. He was specially called upon to build stone ovens in Turkey and abroad, and sometimes he exported the ovens he manufactured to countries around the world.

Turkish craftsman Atun comes to the stone quarry at six in the morning and stays there until four in the afternoon (Anatolia)

He extracts his livelihood from stone

Aton (54 years old) lives in the city of Siirt, southeastern Turkey, where he continues the profession he inherited from his father, and extracts his livelihood from stone.

In the early morning hours, Atoun goes to a stone quarry in a mountainous area in the city’s countryside and breaks rocks using a hammer and nails.

This profession, which he inherited from his father, requires great proficiency (Anatolia)

Then he loads the rock pieces onto a tractor and returns to his workshop in the city to turn them into consistent pieces using a press in his workshop, and uses them on the floor of stone kilns.

Atun said that he "cuts rocks into small pieces and spends most of his day crushing stones in the stone quarry."

Atoun continues his work and extracts his livelihood from stone (Anatolia)

He added to Anadolu that he comes to the stone quarry at six in the morning and stays there until four in the afternoon.

He stated that despite its difficulty, he earns his living from this profession that is inherited in the family, indicating that he works 6 days a week. He explained that he was keen to teach all his seven children by extracting his livelihood from stones.

Aton (54 years old) lives in the city of Siirt, southeastern Turkey, where he continues the profession that he inherited from his father (Anatolia)

Aton ovens travel the world

Atoun explained that he built stone ovens to make bread and “meat dough” in many parts of Turkey and some countries.

He said, "I went to South Korea, Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine, Iraq, and Syria and built ovens for bread and meat with dough," Atoun also pointed out that he sent a small, ready-made oven to the Netherlands.

Aton is specially called to build stone ovens in Turkey and abroad, and sometimes he exports the ovens he manufactures to countries around the world (Anatolia)

He pointed out that he has been working in this field since 1988, and also mentioned that his father practiced this profession for 60 years.

He explained that he recently renovated a stone oven that his father built in the city's Bahcelievler neighborhood 35 years ago.

He added: "I travel to various parts of Turkey. I cut this stone and earn my living," stressing that crushing and shaping stones requires great mastery.

From pieces of rock that he breaks in mountainous areas, Turkish craftsman Arif Atun makes stone ovens (Anatolia)

Durable ovens

He pointed out that the furnaces he builds last for a long period of approximately 30 to 35 years.

Regarding the stone that he uses in industry, Atun explained that it has a property that makes it harden when exposed to sunlight, and becomes even harder when it comes into contact with fire.

He added: "This stone never breaks or cracks as long as it is touched by fire. It can be used for a lifetime if cleaned only with a wet cloth."

This stone does not break or crack as long as it is touched by fire, and the bread and food that is cooked in the stone oven are more delicious (Anatolia)

Food with a distinctive flavour

He added: He used the same stones to make the “Biryan” oven, which the state of Sirte is famous for.

Sirte is famous for its “biryan” dish (called zarb in other places), which is prepared from lamb meat, where the skinned lamb is hung inside a furnace dug in the ground, its depth reaches 3 meters, and its diameter is 100 centimeters, and it is completely steamed.​

Atoun said: “Bread and food cooked in a stone oven are tastier, and the bread remains fresh for the next day, and biryan is also wonderful.”

Source: Anadolu Agency