11. Araştırma Sonuçları Toplantısı - Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı

further study of the architecture, stone fragments and the pottery will allowa clearer understanding of the chronology of the site and that thiswill allow a fuller interpretation of its function. This is clearly differentfrom most other medieval sites in the region whether secular or religious.The principal monuments surviving from the medieval period are churchesand casdes (see Bryer and Winfield 1985). Casdes invariably are 10­cated on isolated hilltops such as Hamurgan Kalesi behind Sünnene orrocky coastal promentaries like Kalecik Kalesi to the west of Araklı Burnu.The situation of Buzluca on a spur does not fit within these categoriesespecially as there is no additional defence at the more vulnerable southemend of the site. But are we perhaps misunderstanding the nature of thedefences? Along the short, hundred metre cordon on the south side arelocated at least three churches barely 25m apart, partly within and partlyprojecting in front of the walls. We might expect this line to form part ofa conventional fortification even if it does not match other medieval sitesin the region. Altematively this necklace of churches and their holy relicsand icons may constitute the principle supematural protection for the site.If the association of Buzluca with Herakleia, founded by the emperorHeraclius between 622-6, is correct this places it in a period of militaryand ideological erisis in the Byzantine empire. In the accounts of earlyseventh century sieges, contemporary texts and chronicles give greaterprominence to the intervention of divine aid: this combination whether StDemetrius at Thessaloniki or the Holy Virgin at Constantinople in 626,than to the temporal defenders. The combination of supematural andphysical defence is not unique to the Byzantine world, but at Buzluca itwould appear that the divine is given precedence over the practical needsof defence. The limited dating evidence suggests a somewhat later dateand the connection with Heraclius remains tenuous, but this combinationof defences presents a fascinating illustration of the transfonnation ofearly Byzantine society and culture.This need not be the only interpretation of the site, altematively itmay be a monastic or pilgrimage centre, although this is likely to havebeen early or shortlived as no records have survived in the later medievaldocuments from the Pontus.Further investigation of the multi-apsed building (havuz) at Buzlucain 1993, together with a geophysical survey, may provide a clearer ideaof the function of the site as a whole. In addition it is hoped to be able toplan and survey the probable Roman military sites at Eskipazar, AraklıKalesi and Hortokop to the east and' south of Trabzon.77