Türkiye’s Mardin University launches world-first prayer bead art program

A “Prayer Bead (Misbahah) Design and Manufacturing Program” has been launched within Mardin Artuklu University’s Vocational School following approval by Türkiye’s Council of Higher Education (YÖK) on July 1, 2025.

To establish the program’s infrastructure, a certified “Prayer Bead Making and Design Techniques” course was organized at the university’s Continuing Education Application and Research Center (MAUSEM) in cooperation with the Federation of Prayer Bead Tradesmen and Craftsmen, CE Report quotes Anadolu Agency.

Due to high demand, the quota for the course was increased from 12 to 24 participants, and the training was planned in two terms.

A total of 24 trainees, including three women, from diverse professional backgrounds such as academics, sculptors, artisans, prayer bead masters, tradespeople and students, are receiving three months of theoretical and practical training. The program covers measurement, form, color harmony, stringing techniques and original design processes.

The training takes place in a workshop set up on the ground floor of the rectorate building and is led by instructors and prayer bead artists İbrahim Çamurdaş and Ahmet Özkurt, where traditional craftsmanship is reshaped with academic support.

Mardin Artuklu University Rector Prof. Dr. İbrahim Özcoşar said that Mardin, known as a city of civilizations, languages and religions, preserves not only its urban fabric but also its ancient arts.

He emphasized that prayer beads are among the art forms encountered in archaeological excavations and have symbolized faith and belief since ancient times. Özcoşar noted that Mardin has an internationally renowned tradition of prayer bead craftsmanship, sustained from the past to the present.

Özcoşar said the university aims to transform this cultural value into an academic field, noting that for the first time in the world, prayer bead making is being addressed as an art form within an academic framework. He added that beyond its artistic value, prayer bead craftsmanship also has significant economic potential, particularly in exports to Gulf countries.

Federation President Yusuf Tedik stated that graduates of the course will receive a master craftsman certificate for the first time in the world, marking an unprecedented academic contribution to the prayer bead community.

As reported by CE Report, instructor Ahmet Özkurt said the goal is to elevate prayer bead making from a craft to an art form, while artist İbrahim Çamurdaş emphasized the importance of patience, labor and aesthetics in the process.

Participants expressed pride and gratitude for having the opportunity to study prayer bead making in an academic environment and contribute to preserving it as cultural heritage.