28.07.2026 01:30
63-year-old Salih Baş, living in Diyarbakır, continues the tradition of clay tandoor, one of Mesopotamia's deep-rooted heritages. Made entirely by hand using special soil brought from around the Tigris River, mixed with straw and goat hair, these tandoors offer a lifespan of 15 to 18 years when used correctly. The prices of the tandoors range from 3,000 lira to 12,000 lira.
The tandoor, an indispensable method of baking bread for centuries, continues to be produced using traditional methods in Diyarbakır.
MADE WITH SOIL, STRAW, AND GOAT HAIR
Some people grind the oily soil, usually brought from around the Tigris River, in a machine and prepare the mortar in a kneading trough, while others knead it by foot. The construction of the tandoor begins with mud prepared by adding salt, straw, and goat hair. For a long-lasting tandoor in the summer heat, it is considered appropriate to layer one row per day in a shaded area. To complete it quickly, since it dries fast in the sun, three rows are laid daily: morning, noon, and towards evening.
PRICES RANGE FROM 3,000 LIRA TO 12,000 LIRA, LASTING 18 YEARS
These tandoors, whose prices vary according to quality, workmanship, and size, range from 3,000 lira to 12,000 lira. Sent to many provinces of Turkey, the tandoor offers a lifespan of 15 to 18 years when used correctly.
THE CRAFTSMANSHIP TAKES 4 DAYS
Tandoor master Salih Baş (63) stated that he has been involved in this work for about 12 years. Baş, noting that the local people have maintained this culture until today, said that lean soil is used in tandoor making. Baş, who also stated that a mixture of oily and lean soil is preferred, said, "We request it from tractor drivers. They bring it from around the Tigris River. Everyone kneads it by foot. There is a certain resting period. We start making the tandoor by laying rows. The construction of one tandoor in this summer season takes 4 days of labor. There are the rows, and then 2 days for touch-ups. The touch-ups involve grinding. We rub the inside to make it compact. That way the bottom of the bread won't lift and won't stick. It lasts a bit longer."
“THE BREAD DOES NOT DRY OUT FOR DAYS, IT REMAINS EDIBLE”
Baş, who said that after adding water to the soil, they mix straw and goat hair during kneading, said, "The construction begins. The price ranges from 8 to 12 thousand lira. The price varies due to labor. When the labor changes, the price also changes. If made with care, the lifespan of a tandoor reaches 15-18 years. Because each time the tandoor is fired, it shrinks millimetrically. Take two identical doughs. One is baked in an oven, the other in a tandoor. Tandoor bread does not dry out for 4 days easily, it remains edible. But oven bread dries out in 2 days."
"NATURAL GAS HAS RUINED THE NAME OF THE TANDOOR"
Baş, stating that they send the tandoors they make to Istanbul, Ankara, and everywhere in Turkey, said, "Sometimes we sell 5-10 pieces a day, sometimes we can't sell any. This tandoor is compatible with natural gas, but it won't last more than 2 years. Because the flame of natural gas is harsh. Natural gas has ruined the name of the tandoor. Natural gas spoils the health of the tandoor and the bread. The flavor of the tandoor has been evident for 5,000 years. There is no knowledgeable person explaining to the public where the tandoor tradition comes from, its benefits, or its harms. They connect the installation inside through the hole at the bottom of the tandoor and leave the burner. They heat the inside and apply the bread."