The wooden minber (pulpit) inside the Allaeddin mosque. Dated 1178, and made from hardwood (walnut).

The ‘kündekari’ technique has been used: pieces of different sizes are worked separately, and then assembled (like a big jigsaw puzzle), without using any glue, split pin or nail. This technique is extremely difficult.
No wonder that the minber has been signed by the artisan who made it: ‘Ebubekir oğlu Ibrahim Usta’ (= Master Ibrahim, son of Ebubekir).

Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen.
Sources: ‘Türkye Tarihi Yerler Kılavuzu’ – M.Orhan Bayrak, Inkılâp Kitabevi, Istanbul, 1994.
& Website of hacitekin.8m.com (ağaçoymacılığı).