#Tombs

38 tombs found in Bilecik, the founding land of the Ottoman Empire

38 tombs were found in Bilecik, the founding land of the Ottoman Empire. Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University (BŞEÜ) Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences History Department graduate student Hamiyet Bilgili's research titled "Bilecik Tombs and Their Place in the Belief System" lasted about two years. Bilgili compiled information and documents about the tombs, most of which were built in Ottoman architecture, in his research under the supervision of Associate Professor Refik Arıkan from the same faculty. Arıkan told Anadolu Agency (AA) that there are 38 tombs in Bilecik, including those belonging to the founder of the Ottoman Empire, Osman Gazi's father Ertuğrul Gazi and his father-in-law Sheikh Edebali.  Stating that the mausoleum tradition is more dominant among the Turks, although it is found in Islamic societies, Arıkan said, "The Turks continued the ancestral culture they brought from Central Asia with the shrine tradition in Islam. In this respect, the demand for shrines in the Ottoman society or the tradition of building shrines on the graves of important people is extremely high. Shrines were built on the tombs of sultans, dynasty members and prominent state figures, as well as on the tombs of important people in the locality, so these places became places of visit over time." Hamiyet Bilgili, on the other hand, stated that the original structures of the tombs that he identified during the field studies were preserved through restorations. Explaining that the tombs in Bilecik are concentrated in Söğüt and Bozüyük districts, Bilgili said: "The fact that the tombs of Sheikh Edebali, Ertuğrul Gazi, Dursun Fakih, Kumral Abdal and Abdullah Mihal Gazi, who were important names of the Ottoman Foundation Period, are located in Bilecik geography shows the importance of these lands. As in the past, the tombs maintain their importance today. Bilecik is not only the city of foundation but also the city of salvation. The road to victory in the National Struggle was opened in this geography. These lands also gave martyrs. One of them is Bilecik Mufti Mehmet Nuri Efendi and his tomb is located in the central village of Deresakar." Bilgili added that all the tombs in Bilecik are open to visitors.