Motivations of the Community in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage in Rural Areas: The Case of Cemil Village (Cappadocia)

Damla Yeşilbağ; Z. Ezgi Kahraman

Makale detayları

Motivations of the Community in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage in Rural Areas: The Case of Cemil Village (Cappadocia)

Yazarlar:

Damla Yeşilbağ | Z. Ezgi Kahraman

Yayıncı:

Ataturk University

Ana Başlıklar:

Mimari Miras ve Koruma

Dergi:

PLANARCH - Design and Planning Research Vol.9 Issue 2, pp.370-388

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

9/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001358425

pISSN:

2822-4507

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 Cultural heritage conservation has evolved over time from being a technical practice based on structural integrity of heritage, to a socio-cultural one emphasizing community-assigned meanings and values. However, Turkeys legalinstitutional framework provides limited support for the application of these human-based approaches and community involvement in conservation processes. Given these constraints, it becomes crucial to examine whether communities, in the absence of institutional or legal frameworks, tend to conserve their cultural heritage based on their own sensitivities, needs, and dynamics. This study aims to determine the current state of traditional buildings and the motivations driving the community to protect their heritage in Cemil Village Ürgüp, Nevşehir, where basic conservation interventions have not yet been implemented. Additionally, it seeks to understand how and by whom these structures are being conserved. The findings of the study, based on spatial analyses and in-depth interviews, reveal that the continuity of these structures has largely been ensured through local preservation practices shaped by the individual efforts of their users. In-depth interviews with the key actors revealed that the communitys primary motivations for conservation include preserving the historical and cultural values associated with symbols of their past, maintaining healthy living conditions and aesthetic values provided by the natural and built environment, ensuring spaces for agricultural activities, and fostering social bonds within the community. These findings are expected to contribute to the development of community-based approaches to cultural heritage conservation and lay the groundwork for future studies examining the role of communities in conservation processes.

 Cultural heritage conservation has evolved over time from being a technical practice based on structural integrity of heritage, to a socio-cultural one emphasizing community-assigned meanings and values. However, Turkeys legalinstitutional framework provides limited support for the application of these human-based approaches and community involvement in conservation processes. Given these constraints, it becomes crucial to examine whether communities, in the absence of institutional or legal frameworks, tend to conserve their cultural heritage based on their own sensitivities, needs, and dynamics. This study aims to determine the current state of traditional buildings and the motivations driving the community to protect their heritage in Cemil Village Ürgüp, Nevşehir, where basic conservation interventions have not yet been implemented. Additionally, it seeks to understand how and by whom these structures are being conserved. The findings of the study, based on spatial analyses and in-depth interviews, reveal that the continuity of these structures has largely been ensured through local preservation practices shaped by the individual efforts of their users. In-depth interviews with the key actors revealed that the communitys primary motivations for conservation include preserving the historical and cultural values associated with symbols of their past, maintaining healthy living conditions and aesthetic values provided by the natural and built environment, ensuring spaces for agricultural activities, and fostering social bonds within the community. These findings are expected to contribute to the development of community-based approaches to cultural heritage conservation and lay the groundwork for future studies examining the role of communities in conservation processes.

 Cultural heritage conservation has evolved over time from being a technical practice based on structural integrity of heritage, to a socio-cultural one emphasizing community-assigned meanings and values. However, Turkeys legalinstitutional framework provides limited support for the application of these human-based approaches and community involvement in conservation processes. Given these constraints, it becomes crucial to examine whether communities, in the absence of institutional or legal frameworks, tend to conserve their cultural heritage based on their own sensitivities, needs, and dynamics. This study aims to determine the current state of traditional buildings and the motivations driving the community to protect their heritage in Cemil Village Ürgüp, Nevşehir, where basic conservation interventions have not yet been implemented. Additionally, it seeks to understand how and by whom these structures are being conserved. The findings of the study, based on spatial analyses and in-depth interviews, reveal that the continuity of these structures has largely been ensured through local preservation practices shaped by the individual efforts of their users. In-depth interviews with the key actors revealed that the communitys primary motivations for conservation include preserving the historical and cultural values associated with symbols of their past, maintaining healthy living conditions and aesthetic values provided by the natural and built environment, ensuring spaces for agricultural activities, and fostering social bonds within the community. These findings are expected to contribute to the development of community-based approaches to cultural heritage conservation and lay the groundwork for future studies examining the role of communities in conservation processes.

 Kültürel mirasın korunması disiplini zaman içinde mirasın fiziksel bütünlüğünü temel alan teknik bir uygulama alanı olmaktan çıkarak, bireylerin ve toplumların atadığı anlam ve değerlere odaklanan sosyo-kültürel bir pratiğe evrilmiştir. Bu kapsamda ortaya çıkan yeni eleştirel yaklaşımlar, mirasın olduğu kadar toplumun miras ile ilişkilerinin de korunmasına yönelik yeni bakış açıları sunmaktadır. Ancak Türkiyedeki yasal ve kurumsal çerçeve kapsamında, insan merkezli bu yaklaşımların uygulanması ve toplumun koruma süreçlerine dahil edilmesi çoğu zaman kısıtlı kalmaktadır. Bu kısıt altında toplumun kendi hassasiyetleri, ihtiyaçları ve dinamikleri sayesinde, kurumsal ya da yasal bir çerçeve olmaksızın içinde yaşadığı kültürel miras alanlarını korumaya yönelik bir eğilim gösterip göstermediğinin araştırılması önem kazanmaktadır. Bu çerçevede bu çalışma, temel koruma müdahalelerinin henüz gerçekleşmediği kırsal bir yerleşim olan, Nevşehirin Ürgüp ilçesinde bulunan Cemil Köyünde, geleneksel yapıların mevcut durumunu tespit etmeyi ve toplumun mirası korumasını sağlayan temel motivasyonlarını incelemeyi amaçlamıştır. Çalışmanın mekânsal analizler ve derinlemesine mülakatlara dayanan bulguları, bu yapıların nasıl, kim tarafından ve hangi motivasyonlarla korunduğu sorularına cevap vermiştir. Yapıların büyük ölçüde kullanıcıların bireysel çabalarıyla şekillenen yerel koruma pratikleri ile varlıklarını günümüze kadar devam ettirdiği görülmüştür. Toplumun mirası korumasına ilişkin temel motivasyonların geçmişlerine ait tarihi ve kültürel sembollerin, köyün doğal çevresinin, geleneksel yapıların yapısal niteliklerinin, temel ekonomik geçim kaynağı olarak tarımsal aktivite mekanlarının ve toplumsal bağların sürekliliğinin korunmasıyla ilişkili olduğu sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Bu bulguların kültürel mirasın korunmasına yönelik insantoplum odaklı yaklaşımların geliştirilmesine katkıda bulunacağı ve kültürel mirasın korunmasında toplulukların oynadığı rolü inceleyen çalışmalar için temel oluşturacağı düşünülmektedir.

Makale detayları

Motivations of the Community in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage in Rural Areas: The Case of Cemil Village (Cappadocia)

Yazarlar:

Damla Yeşilbağ | Z. Ezgi Kahraman

Yayıncı:

Ataturk University

Ana Başlıklar:

Mimari Miras ve Koruma

Dergi:

PLANARCH - Design and Planning Research Vol.9 Issue 2, pp.370-388

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

9/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001358425

pISSN:

2822-4507

conservation of cultural heritage

community-based conservation

rural heritage

Cappadocia

Cemil Villagekültürel mirasın korunması

toplum odaklı koruma

kırsal miras

Kapadokya

Cemil Köyü

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: Damla Yeşilbağ | Z. Ezgi Kahraman

Yayıncı: Ataturk University

Ana Başlıklar: Mimari Miras ve Koruma

Dergi: PLANARCH - Design and Planning Research Vol.9 Issue 2, pp.370-388

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 9/2025

Belge Dili: Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.): 2001358425

pISSN: 2822-4507

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Damla Yeşilbağ | Z. Ezgi Kahraman

Yayıncı:

Ataturk University

Ana Başlıklar:

Mimari Miras ve Koruma

Dergi:

PLANARCH - Design and Planning Research Vol.9 Issue 2, pp.370-388

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

9/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001358425

pISSN:

2822-4507