[The tradition of swaddling with soil and usage of ash in Erzin District].

Abstract

Erzin, a county of Hatay, has been a place of settlement for nomadic Turkoman tribes since 17th century. Utilization of soil for nursing babies is a widely accepted tradition among these tribes. Before placing the soil in the swaddling clothes it must be prepared properly. In spring the untouched soil, unearthed by moles is collected from the fields. It is sifted with a sieve called "sarat". Then it's "cooked" in big pans and stored in sacks knitted with cotton treads called "tirlik cuval". When swaddling a baby, a handful of this soil is placed between the clothes and the skin. Another tradition in this district is the ash usage, especially wood ash in different areas such as washing the clothes and dishes, protecting the kettles being sooted by the fire.