In a small workshop in Syria’s Aleppo province, Yememe Türkmeni carefully presses heated metal tools against natural leather, creating intricate motifs through a craft now practiced by only a handful of artisans in the region.
The 53-year-old retired handicrafts teacher and mother of four has spent 26 years practicing leather burning, a rare art requiring precise control of heat and pressure to produce fine details, shading and variations in tone without damaging the material.
Although the craft was once widely practiced in Aleppo, Türkmeni said it had gradually faded as fewer people learned its techniques.
"Despite its long history, this craft had been almost forgotten in Aleppo,” she told Anadolu Agency (AA). "Many people practiced wood burning, but very few worked on leather.”
A view of the artwork of Syrian artisan Yememe Türkmeni, who is working to preserve the traditional art of leather burning, a craft that is at risk of disappearing, Aleppo, Syria, July 31, 2026. (AA Photo)
