A Byzantine Settlement in the Galatia Region: Mahkemeağcin

Mehmet Sevim; Emine Sökmen

Makale detayları

A Byzantine Settlement in the Galatia Region: Mahkemeağcin

Yazarlar:

Mehmet Sevim | Emine Sökmen

Yayıncı:

Hitit University

Ana Başlıklar:

Peyzaj Arkeolojisi

Dergi:

Hitit Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.18 Issue 1, pp.152-169

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

4/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001342029

pISSN:

2757-7449

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 Mahkemeağcin is a significant Byzantine settlement in the Galatia region, known for its volcanic landscape and tuff rocks, which attracted settlers due to their easy workability. The history of Mahkemeağcin and its surroundings can be traced through archaeological and archival data. The area was under Galatian influence and continued to host Galatian communities during the Roman Imperial period, evidenced by a 2nd century CE inscription naming the Galatian leader Ortiagon who lived during the 2nd century BCE. During the Byzantine period, the nearby major center of Ankyra Ankara played a crucial administrative and military role. The regions economy was primarily based on agriculture and trade. Mahkemeağcin comprises a complex of around 21 rooms, including religious, administrative, and production areas. Grape processing and wine production facilities reflect the advanced agricultural methods of the Byzantine period. Moreover, there is a possible connection between Mahkemeağcin and the Legna station mentioned in the Tabula Imperii Byzantini TIB sources, whose exact location has not yet been identified. The sites proximity to the ancient road network suggests that Mahkemeağcin held a strategic position not only in terms of production but also in logistics and trade. The regions agricultural and economic significance persisted into the Ottoman period. Ottoman archival records indicate that from the 15th century onwards, Mahkemeağcin was part of a foundation waqf established by Turasan Bey. According to the 1463 tax register tahrir defteri, the entire villagereferred to as AkçainAğcainwas allocated to support the needs of religious buildings such as a mosque, a zawiya, and a türbe affiliated with the waqf. The documents also record individuals such as Mihal, his father Yorgi, his daughter Gerne, and his wife Mariye as slaves bound to the foundation. These records reveal that Mahkemeağcin functioned not merely as a rural settlement in the Ottoman period, but also as a component within a broader religious and economic network. Mahkemeağcin is a vital part of Galatias historical and cultural heritage but has suffered significant damage due to natural and human-induced factors. The vulnerability of the tuff rock to weathering has resulted in the partial or complete collapse of several structures, particularly those exposed to rain and sunlight. These damages threaten not only the physical integrity of the site but also its cultural heritage value and archaeological potential. This study emphasizes the historical and cultural importance of Mahkemeağcin as anexample of rural Byzantine settlement in Anatolia. It calls for urgent conservation and restoration efforts, as well as further detailed scientific investigation. Preserving Mahkemeağcin is crucial not only for understanding regional settlement dynamics across antiquity and the medieval period, but also for enhancing the sites visibility and integrating it into broader heritage and tourism strategies aimed at sustainable regional development.

 Mahkemeağcin is a significant Byzantine settlement in the Galatia region, known for its volcanic landscape and tuff rocks, which attracted settlers due to their easy workability. The history of Mahkemeağcin and its surroundings can be traced through archaeological and archival data. The area was under Galatian influence and continued to host Galatian communities during the Roman Imperial period, evidenced by a 2nd century CE inscription naming the Galatian leader Ortiagon who lived during the 2nd century BCE. During the Byzantine period, the nearby major center of Ankyra Ankara played a crucial administrative and military role. The regions economy was primarily based on agriculture and trade. Mahkemeağcin comprises a complex of around 21 rooms, including religious, administrative, and production areas. Grape processing and wine production facilities reflect the advanced agricultural methods of the Byzantine period. Moreover, there is a possible connection between Mahkemeağcin and the Legna station mentioned in the Tabula Imperii Byzantini TIB sources, whose exact location has not yet been identified. The sites proximity to the ancient road network suggests that Mahkemeağcin held a strategic position not only in terms of production but also in logistics and trade. The regions agricultural and economic significance persisted into the Ottoman period. Ottoman archival records indicate that from the 15th century onwards, Mahkemeağcin was part of a foundation waqf established by Turasan Bey. According to the 1463 tax register tahrir defteri, the entire villagereferred to as AkçainAğcainwas allocated to support the needs of religious buildings such as a mosque, a zawiya, and a türbe affiliated with the waqf. The documents also record individuals such as Mihal, his father Yorgi, his daughter Gerne, and his wife Mariye as slaves bound to the foundation. These records reveal that Mahkemeağcin functioned not merely as a rural settlement in the Ottoman period, but also as a component within a broader religious and economic network. Mahkemeağcin is a vital part of Galatias historical and cultural heritage but has suffered significant damage due to natural and human-induced factors. The vulnerability of the tuff rock to weathering has resulted in the partial or complete collapse of several structures, particularly those exposed to rain and sunlight. These damages threaten not only the physical integrity of the site but also its cultural heritage value and archaeological potential. This study emphasizes the historical and cultural importance of Mahkemeağcin as anexample of rural Byzantine settlement in Anatolia. It calls for urgent conservation and restoration efforts, as well as further detailed scientific investigation. Preserving Mahkemeağcin is crucial not only for understanding regional settlement dynamics across antiquity and the medieval period, but also for enhancing the sites visibility and integrating it into broader heritage and tourism strategies aimed at sustainable regional development.

 Mahkemeağcin is a significant Byzantine settlement in the Galatia region, known for its volcanic landscape and tuff rocks, which attracted settlers due to their easy workability. The history of Mahkemeağcin and its surroundings can be traced through archaeological and archival data. The area was under Galatian influence and continued to host Galatian communities during the Roman Imperial period, evidenced by a 2nd century CE inscription naming the Galatian leader Ortiagon who lived during the 2nd century BCE. During the Byzantine period, the nearby major center of Ankyra Ankara played a crucial administrative and military role. The regions economy was primarily based on agriculture and trade. Mahkemeağcin comprises a complex of around 21 rooms, including religious, administrative, and production areas. Grape processing and wine production facilities reflect the advanced agricultural methods of the Byzantine period. Moreover, there is a possible connection between Mahkemeağcin and the Legna station mentioned in the Tabula Imperii Byzantini TIB sources, whose exact location has not yet been identified. The sites proximity to the ancient road network suggests that Mahkemeağcin held a strategic position not only in terms of production but also in logistics and trade. The regions agricultural and economic significance persisted into the Ottoman period. Ottoman archival records indicate that from the 15th century onwards, Mahkemeağcin was part of a foundation waqf established by Turasan Bey. According to the 1463 tax register tahrir defteri, the entire villagereferred to as AkçainAğcainwas allocated to support the needs of religious buildings such as a mosque, a zawiya, and a türbe affiliated with the waqf. The documents also record individuals such as Mihal, his father Yorgi, his daughter Gerne, and his wife Mariye as slaves bound to the foundation. These records reveal that Mahkemeağcin functioned not merely as a rural settlement in the Ottoman period, but also as a component within a broader religious and economic network. Mahkemeağcin is a vital part of Galatias historical and cultural heritage but has suffered significant damage due to natural and human-induced factors. The vulnerability of the tuff rock to weathering has resulted in the partial or complete collapse of several structures, particularly those exposed to rain and sunlight. These damages threaten not only the physical integrity of the site but also its cultural heritage value and archaeological potential. This study emphasizes the historical and cultural importance of Mahkemeağcin as anexample of rural Byzantine settlement in Anatolia. It calls for urgent conservation and restoration efforts, as well as further detailed scientific investigation. Preserving Mahkemeağcin is crucial not only for understanding regional settlement dynamics across antiquity and the medieval period, but also for enhancing the sites visibility and integrating it into broader heritage and tourism strategies aimed at sustainable regional development.

 Mahkemeağcin, Orta Anadoluda yer alan Galatia Bölgesinin önemli Bizans yerleşimlerinden biridir. Volkanik kökenli tüf kayaçların yoğun olduğu bu coğrafya, özellikle Bizans döneminde yerleşimcilerin ilgisini çekmiş; kolay işlenebilir yapısı sayesinde geniş çaplı kaya oyma mimarisinin gelişmesine olanak tanımıştır. Arkeolojik kazılar ve arşiv kaynakları, Mahkemeağcinin tarihsel süreçteki çok katmanlı kimliğini ortaya koymaktadır. Yerleşim alanı, öncelikle Galatların etkisinde şekillenmiş, ardından Roma İmparatorluk döneminde de Galat kökenli toplulukların varlığını sürdürdüğü bir merkez olmuştur. Bu durum, Mahkemeağcine oldukça yakın bir konumda bulunan ve MS 2. yüzyıla tarihlenen bir yazıtta, MÖ 2. yüzyılda yaşamış Tolistobogii kabilesi lideri Ortiagonun adına rastlanmasıyla epigrafik olarak da desteklenmektedir. Bizans döneminde Mahkemeağcinin en yakınındaki büyük kent olan Ankyra günümüzde Ankara, bölgenin dini, idari ve askeri merkezi olarak işlev görmüştür. Bu bağlamda Mahkemeağcin de, yaklaşık 21 kaya oygu mekândan oluşan yapısıyla, dönemin kırsal kompleks örneklerinden biri olarak öne çıkar. Söz konusu yapılar arasında dini amaçlı şapel, idari alanlar, konaklama odaları ve üzüm işlikleri yer almaktadır. Özellikle üzüm işlikleri ve şarap yapımına dair teknik donanım, Bizans döneminde bölgede gelişmiş tarım faaliyetlerinin sürdürüldüğünü göstermektedir. Ayrıca, Tabula Imperii Byzantini TIB kaynaklarında adı geçen ve konumu tam olarak tespit edilememiş olan Legna istasyonu ile Mahkemeağcin arasında olası bir bağlantı söz konusudur. Bölgenin antik yol güzergâhına yakın konumu, Mahkemeağcinin yalnızca üretim değil, aynı zamanda lojistik ve ticaret açısından da stratejik bir noktada yer aldığını düşündürmektedir. Yerleşim, Osmanlı döneminde de kullanım görmüş ve bu döneme ait seramik, lüle gibi küçük buluntularla belgelenmiştir. Osmanlı arşiv kayıtları, Mahkemeağcinin 15. yüzyıldan itibaren Turasan Bey tarafından kurulan bir vakfın mülkiyetinde olduğunu göstermektedir. 1463 tarihli tahrir defterinde AkçainAğcain adıyla anılan köyün tamamı, vakfa bağlı olarak cami, zâviye ve türbe gibi dini yapıların ihtiyaçlarını karşılamak üzere tahsis edilmiştir. Belgelerde, bölgede yaşayan Mihal, babası Yorgi, kızı Gerne ve eşi Mariye gibi kişilerin vakfa tabi köleler olarak geçtiği görülmektedir. Bu veriler, Mahkemeağcinin Osmanlı döneminde yalnızca bir kırsal yerleşim değil, aynı zamanda dini ve ekonomik bir ağın parçası olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Günümüzde Mahkemeağcin ciddi doğal ve insan kaynaklı tahribatlara maruz kalmış durumdadır. Tüf kayaçların dış etkenlere karşı dayanıksızlığı nedeniyle yapılar büyük ölçüde zarar görmüş, bazı odaların ön cepheleri tamamen çökmüştür. Bu durum, yerleşimin hem kültürel miras değeri hem de arkeolojik potansiyeli açısından tehdit oluşturmaktadır. Bu çalışmada Mahkemeağcinin önemi vurgulanmış ve ileride kapsamlı bilimsel araştırma yapılmasının gereğine dikkat çekilmiştir.

Makale detayları

A Byzantine Settlement in the Galatia Region: Mahkemeağcin

Yazarlar:

Mehmet Sevim | Emine Sökmen

Yayıncı:

Hitit University

Ana Başlıklar:

Peyzaj Arkeolojisi

Dergi:

Hitit Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.18 Issue 1, pp.152-169

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

4/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001342029

pISSN:

2757-7449

Ankara

Mahkemeağcin

Rock-cut settlement

Byzantine SettlementAnkara

Mahkemeağcin

Kaya Yerleşimi

Bizans Yerleşimi

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: Mehmet Sevim | Emine Sökmen

Yayıncı: Hitit University

Ana Başlıklar: Peyzaj Arkeolojisi

Dergi: Hitit Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.18 Issue 1, pp.152-169

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 4/2025

Belge Dili: Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.): 2001342029

pISSN: 2757-7449

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Mehmet Sevim | Emine Sökmen

Yayıncı:

Hitit University

Ana Başlıklar:

Peyzaj Arkeolojisi

Dergi:

Hitit Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.18 Issue 1, pp.152-169

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

4/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001342029

pISSN:

2757-7449