habitat rupestre.pdf - Società Friulana di Archeologia

ROCK CARVED SPACES OF ORTAHISARE. Füsun Alioglu 1 , Y. Kösebay Erkan 1 , M. Alper 1 , B. Alper 21. Kadir Has University - Istanbul (Turkey)2. Yildiz Technical University - Istanbul (Turkey)1. CappadociaCappadocia region where Ortahisar town is also situated is avolcanic formation mostly famous for the cones referred to asfairy- chimneys created by the natural erosion of the tufa rock.It is known that, Cappadocia region has been settled even inprehistoric times. As spectacular as the fairy-chimneys, therupestrian architecture of the region display more than 700hundred splendid examples of Byzantine and post-byzantineperiod churches, chapels, monasteries and hermitages. Manyof which have high quality wall paintings with religiousthemes. Other than the religious complexes, there are also civilianarchitecture carved into the rocks to form housing, foodstorages, castles etc.The material evidence proves that the caves in the tufa rockin Ortahisar accommodated people for religious purposes asearly as 5th century.The religious expressions of those people can still be found onthe walls of the caves. Although until the Turkish occupation,the area had a monastic character. Due to the specific geologicalcharacter of the terrain, people living there adjustedthemselves to its specific conditions. Perhaps this necessitatedinnovative solutions, generating a living style dealing withstone.They carved their houses and kept their goods into tufa, producedfertilizers through pigeon droppings where it was notpossible to do agriculture. In order to provide shelter for pigeons,tufa rock came into use. In Ortahisar region, pigeonhouses decorated with wall paintings form an entire genre.2. Ortahı̇ sar historyIn Turkish, Ortahisar means the central castle. It is situatedbetween Başhisar (Premier Castle), and Uçhisar (End Castle),therefore its name is derived from its geographical location.Having a Turkish name, poses questions as whether it had lostits old Greek name or, was originally established in the Turkishperiod. However historical evidence proves that this settlementwas established in the Turkish period and no other namecould be identified referring to this location.Local beliefs are such that Ortahisar was taken from Karamanoğulları’stogether with Başhisar, Uçhisar and Niğde byİzhak Pasha in 1460. In the Ottoman archival sources, wecome across with plenty entries concerning Ortahisar town. Itis observed that there have been several correspondences onthe administrative status of the settlement. At some point in1761, it is understood that Ortahisar village was connected toÜrgüp kaza, however in 1894, it seems that people of Ortahisarwanted to be connected to Arapsun kaza because they werenot happy with the Ürgüp administration. This status couldonly be preserved until 1911 when the village was united backto Ürgüp. In 1916, Ortahisar became a municipality.Fig. 1 Ortahisar general view.233volumeRicerca_OK_2012-11-15.indd 233 16/11/2012 15:03:46