Cevdet Yıldırım

Cevdet Yıldırım was born in the Obayayla village of Oltu in 1961. He finished primary school in his village, and middle and high school in Oltu. After working at municipality, he founded his company “Yıldızım Oltu Taşı” with his wife Birgül Yıldırım. Oltu stone (jet) is specific local semi-precious stones with black, dark brown and grey or green color. It is excavated around Northeast of Oltu in Erzurum and has been carved to make jewelry, prayer beads, pipes and boxes. Yıldırım makes and sells Oltu stones with his wife.