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Ismail Arac, one of the last master artisans who kept alive the ancient art of parchment-making, died at the age of 93 in Izmir’s historic town of Bergama. His passing marks the end of a remarkable 71-year career dedicated to preserving a craft that dates back to antiquity and is now practiced by only a handful of artisans worldwide.
Born in 1933 in Bergama, Arac dedicated his life to traditional leatherwork and parchment production, a craft whose origins date back to the ancient Kingdom of Pergamon in the second century B.C.E.
He began his apprenticeship in 1953 and continued to work uninterrupted for 71 years, becoming one of the last artisans globally to produce parchment entirely by hand and without chemical processes.
Operating within the traditional “karatabak” tanning system, Arac processed goat and kidskins using age-old techniques and hand tools, including the traditional “kavlato” knife. His workshop became a point of interest for researchers, historians and cultural heritage experts documenting endangered craft practices.
Over the course of his career, Arac received multiple national and international honors for his contributions to cultural preservation. In 2017, he was designated a “Bearer of Intangible Cultural Heritage” by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. In 2021, he was awarded the UNESCO title of “Living Human Treasure,” recognizing individuals who sustain and transmit critically endangered cultural practices.
Arac was also honored by Turkish state authorities for his role in promoting traditional arts and raising international awareness of Bergama’s historical craftsmanship heritage.
In his later years, Arac frequently voiced concern over the survival of parchment-making, stating in past interviews that the craft might disappear with him. However, he took active steps to preserve the tradition by training apprentices.
He formally transferred his knowledge to two students, Demet Saglam Tokbay and Nesrin Ermis Pavlis, through the traditional “pestemal kusatma” initiation ceremony, symbolically granting them mastery.
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