Kucuk: Petite Wooden Bowl Decoration of Eurasian Culture

Kucuk’s size is petite and exquisite, suitable for placing in smaller space, such as desk or shoe cabinet. Although Kucuk is petite, wood master always need to pay extra attention, especially to the small details. “Creating small art piece is actually way more laborious and time-consuming!” Burhan said.

Turkey is the center of the Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire. It has a long history of 6,500 years. It has integrated the traditional cultures of the East and the West. Most Turks believe that trees represent “holy” and “peace” and the olive tree is even been perceived as the “tree of longevity”. Therefore, olive wood is often made into different types of handicraft and artwork and these artworks even increase in value with the growth of the year. Affected by Turkish unique cultures, Kucuk has incorporated the beauty of the East and the West, making it an impressive piece of art.

Wood master Burhan utilized the precious Turkish olive wood to create the masterpiece – Kucuk. Handcrafted with traditional Turkish culture, Kucuk’s appearance gives people a strong feeling of the power of the ancient Ottoman Empire. On the edge of Kucuk, it is deliberately surrounded by primitive olive wood bark in order to add an extra touch of the vintage, rough and rustic feeling. But when you take a closer look at the smooth surface that has been carefully carved and polished, you can also feel the gentle beauty of the East by admiring the natural details.

Olive tree is drought-resistant and cold-resistant, and has tenacious vitality. It has been called the “longevity tree” by the Turks. Olive wood is hard, heavy, scratch-resistant and also corrosion-resistant. At the same time, because olive wood has a relatively high oil content, it can become very shiny and bright after some polishing. In view of this, it is perceived by the Turks as a very precious wood and even as a noble tree species. As olive wood has a very shiny surface, it is also regarded as an excellent material for handicrafts and arts.

Olive wood has clear texture and bright colors. It normally possesses yellowish brown color or light-brown color, depending on the age of the olive tree. The annual rings are clearly visible and the layers are noticeable. The texture is straight and regular, while the structure is distinctive.