Geleneksel zanaatlar arasında önemli bir yeri olan ayakkabıcılığın geçmişi oldukça eski tarihlere dayanmaktadır. Önceleri ayakları koruma amacı taşıyan ayakkabı üretiminde giderek estetik kaygılar da ortaya çıkmaya başlamıştır. Günlük yaşamda kullanılan ürünlere yansımış birikim ve deneylerin, taşıdıkları tarihsel değerler ve kültürde süreklilik sağlayan özelliklerinden yola çıkarak, ayakkabının bir tür kültürel belge olma özelliği taşıdığını, böylece içinde oluştuğu toplumun ve ortamın maddi izlerini ve manevi dillerini yansıtmaktadır. Ayakkabılar coğrafi koşullar, iklim şartları ve sosyal statüye bağlı olarak çarık, bot, çizme, mest, sandalet, çedik, takunya, potin gibi farklı adlarla anılmışlardır. Çok eski bir tarihe sahip olan ayakkabıcılık, Anadolu kültüründe de köklü ve zengin bir geleneğe sahiptir ve geleneksel ayakkabılar edik, başmak, çarık, yemeni gibi adlarla tanınmaktadır. Kısmen de olsa günümüze taşınan bu ayakkabılar, Anadolu insanının pratik zekâsını ve estetik anlayışını bugüne aktaran el sanatları ürünleridir. Ancak, geleneksel el sanatları ve zanaatların pek çoğunda olduğu gibi ayakkabıcılık da modern ihtiyaç ve teknoloji karşısında yenik düşmüş ve kaybolmaya yüz tutmuştur. Bugün artık nadir olarak bazı bölgelerde ve turistik amaçlı olarak üretilmektedir. Geleneksel ayakkabıcılığın zengin örneklerinin görüldüğü yörelerden biri Van Gölü Havzası'dır. Havzada; Van ilinde yapılan örnekler reşik, Bitlis'te karşılaşılan örnekler ise harik (herık) olarak adlandırılmaktadır. Bu makalede, yeterli araştırmaya konu olmayan Van Gölü Havzası ayakkabı örnekleri, alan taraması metoduyla ortaya konulmaya çalışılmıştır

Shoemaking has a very important place in traditional crafts and its history depends on very old times. First of all shoes have only purpose of protection and then aesthetics worries had become show up. Reflecting on the products used in everyday life, these experiences reflect the material traits and spiritual tongues of the society and the environment in which the shoes are built, thus leading to the character of the shoe as a kind of cultural document, based on the historical values and continuity characteristics of the culture. Shoes had been called with different names like sandal, boots, slipper, clog and blucher depending upon geographic conditions, climate conditions and social status. Shoemaking, which has a very old tradition, has a rooted and rich tradition in Anatolian culture and these shoes are known with the names like başmak, çarık and Yemeni. These shoes are partially carried to these days and they are handicrafts that are transferring practical intelligence and sense of aesthetics of Anatolian people. However, just like for other traditional hand arts and crafts shoe making had defeated against the modern needs and technology and it had started to pass into oblivion. Nowadays it is being produced in some regions rarely and for touristic purposes. One of the richest samples of traditional shoe making is Van Lake Basin. In this basin; shoes that are made in Van city are called as reşik, others made in Bitlis are called as harik (herık). In this paper, food samples of Van Lake Basin that are not subjected adequate research had been tried to be executed by field scanning method Handcrafts are important values that reflect the taste of a society, its lifestyle and its cultural characteristics. These values provide a cultural interaction that allows our traditional heritage to be transferred from the past to the present day. The features that reflect a society have sometimes come to life in one piece, sometimes in a process, sometimes in a piece of fabric, sometimes in a shoe. Since ancient times, shoe is a footwear that has emerged from the need to protect people from the natural conditions. First of all, it was created to protect against external influences. In various periods of history, it was created for its usage purpose, changing material with technology and different designs. Different designs have created their own fashion. Shoes can be used as shoes, boots, sandals, clogs, pots, etc. Reflecting on the products used in everyday life, these experiences reflect the material traits and spiritual tongues of the society and the environment in which the shoes are built, thus leading to the character of the shoe as a kind of cultural document, based on the historical values and continuity characteristics of the culture. Shoemaking, which has a very old tradition, has a rooted and rich tradition in Anatolian culture. In Anatolia, shoe maker, a craftsman who passed from father to son as close as possible, From the 1950s onwards, it gained a small industrial appearance and in the 1970s industrialization began. In the 1980s, the small workshop moved away from the production approach and entered the factory process. Despite this, traditional workshop-type shoe factories engaged in the production in Turkey still continues its activities to little. As a cultural heritage of my past, traditional shoe styles can only respond to limited demands at certain centers. The traditional shoes of the Van Lake which are still under construction are examples of this point. In Van Lake Basin, despite the developing technology and industrialization, there are two traditional shoe types that still survive today. One of them is produced by a few craftsmen in small workshops in and around Van province. Another type of traditional shoe is the woolly shoe which is kept alive in the Bitlis province and its environment. These shoes are made by a workshop established with the support of the Bitlis Provincial Culture and Tourism Directorate of Bitlis and various courses are given with the support of this institution affiliated to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The replica is made of a woven fabric made of the name of a black goat, Van is a traditional shoe made of hand-made pants. The upper surface of the top is made of woven fabric woven with cloth foot technique and leather is used on the bottom. Having an estimated 600-year history according to the knowledge obtained from the producers, it was widely used until 60-70 years ago. Rashes are made in separate forms for both men and women, and are produced in suitable formats for use in all seasons. It is a kind of shoe which is very resistant due to goat hair which is the main raw material. There is a life span of about 50 years. Despite being so durable, however, today is no longer preferred due to the changing living conditions and changing taste. In the making of the shoe called Resik, a sufficient number of tools and materials are used, such as woven fabric made of goat hair, leather / leather sole, felt for inner sole, soap (for drawing), mold, scarf, scissors, needle, woolen thread for embroidery. Another province where traditional shoemaking is seen in the Van Lake basin crafts is Bitlis. The shoe made in the city is named as wonderful. Harik, the lower part is a "bottom sole" knitted with hemp rope, and the upper part is a shoe type formed by sewing "top knitting", which is made of goat hair, and knitted together. It is a very special type of shoe, such as keeping warm in cool winter months, helping to treat rheumatism, and facilitating walking on stony ground. Harik, unlike the reqik, is made by knitting technique. This kind of shoe, which is frequently used in Bitlis in the past years, is unfortunately alive with the efforts of a few masters. Although the Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism of Bitlis Governorship make an intensive study in this field, the changing living conditions along with the developing industry have caused this culture to face destruction. Footwear is also the product of experience and accumulation of historical past as one of the products of cultural use that meets the needs of people. The traditional shoe types known as reşik and harik (herik), which are still under construction in Van Lake, are a good example of this situation. Relics and wonders are the rare examples of local cultures in the region. These works that have been a bridge between the past and present have almost reached the point of extinction as emphasized above. Therefore, it is very important to collect, introduce and reproduce the samples that have reached to the present day