Culture Haberleri - Son Dakika Culture Haber Güncel Gelişmeler

In Van, a 'Festival of Ashiks' was organized

The 'Festival of Ashiks' was organized by the Van Governorship, Van Metropolitan Municipality, and the Directorate of Culture and Tourism. The festival, held at the Van State Theater, began with a moment of silence and the singing of the National Anthem. Following this, Ashiks Ahmet Poyrazoğlu, Temel Turabi, Selahattin Dündar, Bayram Denizoğlu, Mehmet Çağlari, Kazım Gülle, Muhlis Denizer, Rahim Sağlam, and Hüsamettin Ergül emotionally touched the audience with their folk songs. The festival was attended by Van Governor and Deputy Mayor Dr. Ozan Balcı, Advisor to the Ministry of Interior Hatice Atan, Director of Culture and Tourism Abdurrahman Şahin, some public institution and organization officials, NGO presidents, and citizens.

81 artifacts unearthed in Şanlıurfa to be exhibited for the first time

The Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum, which was opened to visitors in 2015 and covers an area of 60,000 square meters, with 30,000 square meters being closed to the public, displays artifacts excavated from sites such as Göbeklitepe and Karahantepe, which are described as the 'zero point of history.' Affected by the flood disaster in Şanlıurfa on March 15, 2023, the museum will reopen to visitors after repair works, showcasing 81 artifacts excavated from the excavations under the Stone Hills project for the first time. Among these artifacts are 81 items including wild boar and red vulture sculptures made of limestone, with traces of paint on them, human sculptures, and ornaments made of beads. Celal Uludağ, the Director of the Şanlıurfa Museum, stated that the Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum is among the world's most important museums due to its collection of Neolithic artifacts. Uludağ mentioned that the museum's collection is becoming even richer with the Stone Hills project, saying, "Very important artifacts are being unearthed in the excavations. In 2023, some of these artifacts were brought to the Şanlıurfa Museum, and after the necessary procedures were carried out here, they became ready for exhibition." Uludağ stated that artifacts excavated from archaeological sites such as Göbeklitepe, Karahantepe, Sefertepe, Sayburç, Çakmaktepe, and Gürcütepe will be exhibited for the first time. He mentioned: "With the opening of our museum in February 2024, a total of 81 artifacts dating back to the Neolithic era will be displayed for exhibition. Among these artifacts, the most significant one is undoubtedly the painted pig sculpture. We can describe this as the oldest painted sculpture to have survived from the Neolithic era to the present day. Additionally, we can mention the oldest vulture sculpture as well. The human sculpture, which has always been associated with the discovery of Göbeklitepe, is also among the new artifacts that will be exhibited in our museum." Uludağ emphasized that the artifacts discovered under the Stone Hills Project have attracted the attention of the entire world. He also mentioned that as part of this, the World Neolithic Congress of 2024 will be held in Şanlıurfa.

Mardin: Turkey's ancient treasure trove

Donkeys meander through narrow streets past doorways and through low arches, suddenly braying around corners at startled tourists while residents continue on their way, unperturbed. Old stone walls reverberate with the gentle murmur of conversations in Arabic, Syriac, Armenian, Kurdish, Torani, Turkish and Aramaic, an ancient Semitic language once believed to have been used by Jesus. This is Mardin, a city in southeast Turkey where thousands of years of history are visible around every corner. Seen from above, Mardin's shimmering white gold buildings form a line of terraces built on a hill looking across the plains to present-day Syria, but once upon a time the town was part of Mesopotamia, a region bounded by the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. Located where major civilizations like the Sumerians and Babylonians came to power, Mardin has a complex history. Changing hands At one time or another just about everyone owned a piece of Mardin. Nabataean Arabs called it home from 150 B.C.E. to 250 C.E., but by the 4th century it was an important Syriac Christian settlement, established by the Assyrians. Then came the Romans and Byzantines. In the 11th century, the Seljuk Turks set about making it their own but were thwarted by the arrival of the Artuqid Turkomans in the 12th century. This dynasty, originally from northern Iraq (Diyarbakır in modern day Turkey), managed to stay in control for three hundred years, until the Mongols took the reins. They in turn were replaced by a Persian Turkoman monarchy. Surprisingly, when Ottoman sultan Selim the Grim took over in 1517, there was still a Christian population living in the town. Today Mardin has a unique atmosphere and flavor due to this diverse ethnic and religious background. Despite its ancient credentials, Mardin is a lively and dynamic town where the past lives on in the present. Take Kırklar Kilisesi, also known as Mor Behnam, one of seven Syriac Orthodox churches. Originally constructed in 569 C.E., the Church of the Forty Martyrs, as it's known in English, took its name when the relics of 40 martyrs were brought here in 1170. Architecturally the church is simplicity itself. Outside, an elegant domed bell tower topped with a cross sits in a rectangular courtyard bounded by golden stone walls. Inside, regular services take place, part of an unbroken tradition carried out by Aramaic Christians for more than 700 years. Queen of the snakes A few streets away, the Mardin Protestant Church built by American believers more than 150 years ago now has an active congregation after being closed for nearly 60 years, while shop windows are adorned with paintings of the Shahmaran. The mythical half-snake, half-woman Shahmaran gets its name from Persian. Shah means king (or in this case queen) and mar is snake so the Shahmaran was Queen of the Snakes. According to Anatolian folklore, she lived in Mardin. The decorations on the Abdullatif Mosque from 1371 contrast dramatically with the austerity of the churches. Its two large portals are so delicately carved it's hard to believe they're made from solid stone. A recessed stalactite carving forms the focal point, with vertical and horizontal patterned stonework surrounds. The mosque is a sublime architectural example from the Artuqid period, while Zinciriye Medresesi, a religious school dating from 1385, is another. The seminary, also known as İsa Bey Medresesi after the last Artuqid Sultan, has an imposing doorway that contains exquisite masonry technique. The ribbing on the rooftop stone domes makes them appear lighter than air. Pretty gardens lead to a small mosque containing an ornately carved mihrab niche which indicates the direction of Mecca. Mardin Houses Also worth a look is the post office, with good reason. Converted to public use in the 1950s, it came to the attention of domestic tourists in the early 2000s when it was used as the set for the highly popular Turkish miniseries "Sıla." The building was originally designed as a private home by Armenian architect Sarkis Elyas Lole in 1890. Steps lead through a small archway onto a grand terrace overlooking the Şehidiye Mosque to the empty plains beyond. Historical Bazaar Lole also built the 1889 cavalry barracks that now house the Sakıp Sabancı Mardin City Museum. Displays include lifelike tableaux and contemporary exhibitions giving a clear sense of daily life in Mardin, both past and present. Over in the Mardin Museum, located in the former Assyrian Catholic Patriarchate from 1895, ancient history is represented through artefacts from Mesopotamia and Assyria, Roman mosaics and Ottoman objects. Mardin Citadel Underground sanctuary Walk in any direction and the streets of Mardin offer up gorgeous visuals, none more so than Ulu Camii, the Great Mosque. Although founded by the Seljuk Turks, its current form is largely due to Artuqid ruler Beg II Ghazi II. He commissioned new works in 1176, with more completed by the Ottomans in the 18th and 19th centuries. The surface of the mosque's one remaining minaret is embellished with Seljuk, Artuqid and Ottoman inscriptions. This obsession with detail is reflected in tel kare, the filigree silver jewelry sold in many of the shops, although most of the pieces are produced in family-owned workshops in neighboring Midyat. A few miles outside the city the sombre yet majestic Deyrulzafaran (House of Saffron) monastery and original seat of the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate, is a must-see. This large walled complex was built on a site dedicated to the worship of the sun. Deyrulzafaran Although destroyed by the Persians and then looted by 14th-century Mongol-Turkic conqueror Tamerlane, the original underground sanctuary still exists. Guided tours take visitors through exquisitely carved 300-year-old wooden doors, past inscriptions in Syriac, centuries-old wooden litters and thrones, hand-embroidered Bible scenes and other religious paraphernalia. Plain guest rooms accommodate the devout attending services held in Aramaic. Meanwhile, excavations at Dara, an important East Rome military city around 19 miles outside Mardin, have been ongoing since 1986. The finds have been abundant, to say the least. The most recent was an olive workshop dating from the sixth century. This confirms the city was an important olive oil production and trade center, as well as the site of numerous military conflicts. Many underground cisterns left over from Mesopotamia's original irrigation system are open to the public. One is so enormous, locals refer to it as zindan, a dungeon, and tell stories of it being used as a prison. It descends 82 feet underground with access through the basement of a village house, provided you can find the man with the key. Back in Mardin, another ancient attraction is the castle -- during the Roman period the city was called Marida, an ancient Neo-Aramaic word meaning fortress. The stronghold is very high up above the town and while a path leads almost to the gates, it's not open to the public. Some might feel the effort (and risk of heatstroke in summer) worth it for the stellar views. Others might just prefer to stay in town and enjoy a glass of wine. Most of the local winemakers are Assyrians. They follow ancient traditions and use regional grapes to produce wines completely different to those found elsewhere in the country. Definitely a fitting way to salute Mardin's multicultural mix. Source: cnn.com

Hittite tablets are read by artificial intelligence method

With the project, which was implemented as a first in the world, 1,954 Hittite tablets are read using artificial intelligence. The data obtained from the nail tablets will be put into service with the Hitit Digital Library to be established. The first phase of the project, which was initiated to read, scan and digitize the Hittite cuneiform tablets in the inventory of Ankara Anatolian Civilizations Museum, Istanbul Archeology Museums and Çorum Museum, has been completed. Within the framework of the project carried out in cooperation with Ankara University and the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, this exemplary project on Hittite tablets will facilitate the analysis of historical documents of thousands of years, and thus, tablet readings and publications will accelerate. The process of reading 500 tablets with artificial intelligence has been completed The first phase of the teaching process to artificial intelligence has ended by photographing it in high resolution and scanning it in 3D in Hattusa, the capital of the Hittites. While working on 1,954 cuneiform tablets with high-resolution photographs using artificial intelligence, the learning process of 500 Hittite tablets with cuneiform writing was completed in the first place. In the artificial intelligence study, 75.66 percent success was achieved. The data obtained from the readings will be shared with the scientific world by Hittitologists. In addition, when the artificial intelligence studies are completed, the information obtained from the tablets will be created and a digital library will be made available to Hititologists and history buffs. “This project is a first in the world” Ankara University Faculty Member Assoc. Dr. Emphasizing that the project is a first in the world, Özlem Sir Gavaz said, “The discovery of the Boğazkale tablets from Çorum has a great meaning. We started a project for the first time in the world to read Hittite tablets by artificial intelligence. Were there any examples? there was. There were examples of this in Chicago, Toronto, Tel Aviv University. Those directly related to artificial intelligence were on the Babylonian, Akkadian tablets. There was no project to digitize Hittite tablets directly like us and then integrate it with artificial intelligence. Therefore, we are very happy,” he said. Assoc. Dr. Gavaz, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Nadir Alpaslan for his support to the project, Ankara University Rector Prof. Dr. He thanked Necdet Ünüvar and General Manager of Cultural Heritage and Museums Gökhan Yazgı.

Hattusa: The Ancient Capital of The Hittites

Hattusa, located in Türkiye’s Anatolian heartland province of Corum, is definitely worth visiting. The remnants of the Hittite Capital date back to the Bronze Age, around 2000 BC. The site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1986. The Hittites were a remarkable civilization. The kingdom stretched from the Aegean across Anatolia, northern Syria and to the Euphrates river. Hattusa is a wonderful Turkish tale of endurance, mystery and deeply layered history. Discovered only in 1834, Hattusa, the capital city of the Hittite Empire, had long been believed a myth. As excavation continues, more and more is being uncovered about this ancient city, those who lived there and how they interacted. We know they were already crafting tools and were a mighty military power in the age of horses and chariots - what else will be discovered? Archaeologists are still working to uncover more about the Hittites and their capital. Thus far, excavations have found extensive royal archives of clay tablets, known collectively as the Bogazkoy Archive. The tablets feature official correspondence, contracts, legal codes, ceremonial procedures, prophecies, peace settlements and literature of the time. In addition to the extensive clay documentation, a variety of large sculptures were discovered in the ancient capital. Exploring the Site The site is renowned for signs of significant urbanisation, varied types of construction and the ornamental structures like the Lions Gate and the Royal Gate which must have been very grand and imposing indeed. The city was surrounded by a huge wall, 8 km in length, with older walls found throughout the city and walls dividing the city into distinct districts. The city was heavily fortified, with a double wall, over 100 towers and 5 gateways including 3 richly decorated: the Lions Gate, the Kings Gate and the Sphinx Gate. Some of the walls of the Upper City feature the longest known Hittite hieroglyphic inscription from the Hittite Empire. Grand Temple Elsewhere in the city are the ruins of temples, the best preserved of which is in the Lower City. The Grand Temple, dates back to the 13th Century BC and is the biggest Temple found in the city. Yazılıkaya North of the capital is the rock sanctuary of Yazılıkaya. An open-air temple with two natural chambers cut into the bedrock, the walls of which are covered with the richest and most striking samples of Hittite relief art, featuring gods and goddesses and the figures of the Great King Tudhaliya IV. Kayalı Boğaz Kayalı Bogaz, mentioned in cuneiform inscriptions (found in the Bogazkoy Archive), is a large fortified settlement. Due to its proximity to the capital, it is thought that Kayali Bogaz may have served as an outpost of the city in order to watch and control the roads to the city. İbikçam Forest The İbikcam Forest is a representation of one of the dense forests covering the mountains to the south of the capital in Hittite times. The People of Hattusa Evaluation of the site, its significance and its role in the region, suggests the population may have been around 50.000. With the inner city likely housing one third of the total population. Dwellings were built with timber and mud bricks and thus, have vanished from the site. Clues about the life and times of ordinary Hittites are chiefly found in the clay tablets of the Bogazkoy Archive. Hattusa is a fascinating example of a Bronze Age city and its people. To have endured for millennia as it has is a true testament to the might of the Hittites. Source: goturkiye.com

Kayseri's Cappadocia "SOĞANLI VALLEY"

Kayseri's Cappadocia "SOĞANLI VALLEY" With rock churches, fairy chimneys and rock-carved structures, the Soğanlı Valley in Yeşilhisar has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List together with Cappadocia since 1985. The Soğanlı Valley, which has many religious structures such as Santa Barbara (Tahtalı), Karabaş, Kubbeli and Yılanlı churches, is also known for the rag dolls made by the local people. With its churches and monasteries in the Yeşilhisar district of Kayseri, and interesting rock formations, Soğanlı Valley, an extension of Cappadocia, stands out as a rising value in tourism. In the east of the Cappadocia region, in the southwest of Kayseri city center, Soğanlı Valley is 10 kilometers from Yeşilhisar. There are deep tuff valleys, fairy chimneys and rock settlements inhabited by humanity in Soğanlı, where interesting landforms were formed as a result of the cooling of the lava erupting from the Erciyes Mountain and Hasan Mountain volcanoes millions of years ago. Nearly 200 churches, including Geyikli, Santa Barbara (Tahtalı), Domed, Saklı, Yılanlı, Karabaş, Tokatlı and Ballık, attract visitors from all over the world in the valley that starts from Akköy Dam Lake. Those who visit Soğanlı Valley are strongly recommended to visit Erdemli village. In Erdemli, which is 10 kilometers away from Yeşilhisar, the One-nave Archaic, St. Nicholas, Forty Martyr, Bear, Mikhael, Twelve Apostles, St. Eustathios and Saray churches and Haralam Monastery are places worth seeing. Kestelic rock settlements just south of Erdemli also offer safari experiences to photography enthusiasts. In the village of Güzelöz, 18 kilometers from Yeşilhisar, which is also within the borders of Soğanlı Valley, the rock churches of Haç, Mistikan, St. Basileus, Ortaköy, St. Georgios, Panagia, St. Stratilates, and St. Barbara constitute the visit stops that tourists should not miss. In the historical region where it started to take off, those who participate in balloon tours have the opportunity to watch the rock structures from the sky. There are three restaurants and two pensions at the entrance of Soğanlı Valley. Cloth dolls reflecting the local culture and souvenirs unique to Kayseri are sold in the ruins. Source: AKİB Actual Magazine

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