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Metalwork is a trade that is mostly Turkish; there are, however, some Armenian metalworkers. Before European metal items had begun to enter Marash, metalwork had held an important place in satisfying local needs and those of the surrounding towns and villages. In the main cast iron (külüçe) from Zeytun and iron bars brought from Europe serve to make metal items. Household items like nails, locks etc have been made in Marash from ancient times, lately to be replaced by cheap European ones. But until the beginning of the 20th century there has been a great demand for items used in and around the home – tongs, skewers, hooks, trivets, knives, pruning knives, ploughshares, etc. There has also been a demand for items for the various trades – adzes, hammers, pincers, sickles, as well as horseshoes and nails to shoe horses with. The metalworking trades satisfy not only local needs but also those of the surrounding area and certain towns in the plains of Cilicia. Among those remembered in this trade are the Djehizian brothers, who being skilful smiths, were also armourers. [52]
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