Two sanjak ceremonies in Prizren celebrated by the professional Smith community and the Smith community

Abstract

This article deals with the sanjaks kept by the Blacksmiths in the city of Prizren, Kosovo. This is the first detailed study on the history of the blacksmiths and their sanjaks in Prizren. Naturally, the scope of this study is Prizren Blacksmiths and their sanjaks. Since the author is a member of the Blacksmith community, his data on this subject are based on interviews, observations and oral history research. Blacksmiths live in Terzi Mahalle in Prizren and two sanjaks are preserved in this neighbourhood. One of these sanjaks was given by the Seljuk State in Konya and the date of the year given on the sanjak is written as 1227. This banner was given to the Ironworkers in Konya for helping the Turks in the war. The other one was taken from the tombbedar of Hz. Davud on the same day and Hz. Davud, the Piri of the Blacksmiths, is commemorated with this banner. The day of the great banner is 22-24 May. It is celebrated on the Saturday closest to this date and is known as Hedernebi. The banner is taken to the tomb of Ömer Baba in the village of Lez, where it stays overnight. Blacksmiths’ Day is celebrated with a small sanjak and is called the day of the pirin. Although some of the craftsmen in Kosovo and its surroundings are known by names such as Rom, Demirci, Gurbet, the community of Demirci is a separate community in itself. Blacksmiths are also known as Halepli because they settled in Prizren and other regions as merchants from Aleppo. The first of these monuments, which is narrated in the rumours of Demirirciler or Aleppians, is a very old mosque in Gora, Prizren.