A traditional craftsman from the northwestern province of Edirne is keeping the region’s transportation heritage alive by creating detailed wooden miniature models of historic horse-drawn vehicles and showcasing them both in Türkiye and abroad.
Özcan Abacı, a Culture and Tourism Ministry-recognized traditional crafts artist, has spent the past 36 years producing scale models of talika carriages — four-wheeled, covered horse-drawn wagons once common in Thrace — as well as phaetons and agricultural equipment.
The 60-year-old artisan, who works as a health technician at the Sleep Disorders Center of the Trakya University Faculty of Medicine Hospital, began his woodworking journey in 1990 with the support of late Edirne Governor Fahri Yücel.
Working from his workshop, Abacı has exhibited his handcrafted models at numerous festivals in Türkiye and overseas. His creations have also been presented as gifts to presidents, ministers and senior government officials.
Abacı noted that he is the only artist in Türkiye officially recognized by the ministry for producing scaled miniature models of phaetons and talika carriages. In 2024, he received the “Living Human Treasure” award.
The craftsman said his fascination with wood has grown over the years, describing the material as an inseparable part of human life, from cradles at birth to coffins at death.
Unable to find models connected to his own cultural heritage after initially building ship replicas, Abacı turned his attention to traditional local transportation vehicles, eventually mastering woodworking, painting and metalwork techniques despite having no previous experience.
One of his earliest works, a miniature threshing machine, was purchased by a provincial governor and later presented as a gift to Süleyman Demirel, an experience he described as a major source of motivation.
Abacı has held exhibitions in nearly 10 countries and sent his handcrafted models to destinations including the United States and Spain. He said traditional crafts and Turkish culture attract significant interest abroad.
The artisan added that he will soon participate in an event in France and will represent Türkiye as a “Living Human Treasure” at the upcoming UNESCO General Assembly on June 17-18.
