Address: Boyacıali Mahallesi
Bulvar Caddesi No: 16
Telephone – Fax: 713 45 92
Ereğli / KONYA
In Ereğli Museum, which has been established in 1968, 8096 cultural assets are exhibited. Annual average visitor number is 10900. The museum has a large open exhibition, but closed exhibition is made in a hall.
Ereğli Museum is the synthesis of all civilizations starting from 7000 BC since Neolithic Period without interruption. Herakleia archaic city and the cultural assets found around are exhibited in Ereğli Museum. The hand axes found in Can Hasan belonging to the Neolithic Period, wall frescos, hand mills, digging tools and cooked earthenware pots, polichrome cooked earthenware pots belonging to the Calcolithic Period, animal and human figures belonging to the Old Bronze Age, arrow ends, stamp seals, hand axes, water jugs with bulle belonging to Asyrrian Commercial Colony Period, idols, cooked earthenware fruit plates, cooked earthenware salt cups, cylindrical and stamp seals belonging to the Hittite Period, carabeuses, hieroglyph and nail written sculpture bases, fibulas belonging to the Phrygian Era, beak mouthed water jugs, phiales, lekythos belonging to the Hellenistic Period, silver Athena coins called as Herakleia treasure, golden frames, architectural parts belonging to the Roman Period, grave steles, human and animal figures, architectural parts belonging to the Byzantine Period, golden christograms, glazed pots belonging to Seljuk and Karamanoğlu Periods, plaster ornaments, trousseau chest belonging to the Ottoman Period made of rye stem, hand – written Korans with golden prayer beads, guns, hand – woven carpets and kilims are the most important movable cultural assets present in our museum.
Furthermore, İvriz Rock Monument is belonging to the late Hittite Period, golden coated wooden sarcophagus parts belonging to Hellenistic Period, which are found in Göztepe Tumulus and golden Ephesus coin, are among the rarest works in the world.
Archaeology Museum
The Archaeology museum has been opened for the first time in the building that is at the southwestern corner of Karma Secondary School in 1901. In 1927, the works have been moved to Mevlana Museum and in 1953 to İplikçi Mosque for exhibition. In 1962, today’s museum has been established and given to service.
Our museum exhibits works belonging to Old Bronze, Mid Bronze (Asyrrian Trade Colonies), Iron (Phrygian, Urartu), Classical, Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine Periods, starting from the Neolithic Period.
I. Hall of Prehistoric Works
1- Neolithic Period Works (6500 – 5300 BC)
Besides the Neolithic Period works found in Erbaba, Süberde, Çatalhöyük excavations, hand – cooked earthenware pots, arrow and spear ends made of obsidian and flint are present.
2- Old Bronze Period Works (3000 – 1950 BC)
The works belonging to this period have generally been obtained from Sızma and Karahöyük excavations. Furthermore, cooked earthenware pots having grooves on them and bearing the characteristics of Lakes Region, which are brought from the surroundings of Beyşehir Lake are exhibited.
3- Mid Bronze (Asyrrian Commercial Colonies) Period Works (1950 – 1750 BC)
Cooked earthenware pots in very different forms made on wheel, candles in the form of grape cluster, animal shaped pots, bronze rings, cylindrical seals obtained in the systematic excavations being made in Konya Karahöyük since 1952 are existent.
II. Iron Period Work Hall
1- Iron Period Works (the 8th, 7th, 6th century BC)
Phyrigian pot parts having figures on them, which are found at Konya Alaaddin Hill, Phyrigian Period painted pots in various forms found in Kıcıkışla, at 20 km north of Karapınar District of Konya, bronze fibulas (needle) and plates with figures belonging to Urartus are included in these works.
In Kıcıkışla, together with Phyrigian pots, there are Lidian cooked earthenware pots which are painted and in different shapes.
2- Classical Period Works (480 – 330 BC)
Important kylixes which are painted with bright black paint and which are brought from Kıcıkışla, lekythoses and one oinokhoe, which is ornamented in compliance with black figure technique are included in this class.
3- Hellenistic Period Works (330 – 30 BC)
Among these works, plates, pots that are polished and made in different forms and a deep carved pot mold part are included.
4- Roman Period Small Bronze Sculptures (30 BC – 395 AD)
In this showcase, there are Roman Period Hermes, Eros and bull sculptures made of bronze.
III. Roman Period Hall
1. Roman Period Works (30 BC – 395 AD)
From this period, Sidemara type marble Herakles Sarcophagus with columns (250 – 260 AD) marble with girland of Sidemara and Pamphylia type found in Iconium (Konya) necropolis (the 2nd and 3rd century AD) and one Poseidon sculpture, cooked earth candles belonging to the same period in horizontal showcases, essence pots, glass tear bottles, perfume pots, experiment tubes, glasses, decanters and glass bracelets, golden rings and earrings, ring stones made of valuable stones, ivory comb and manicure tools are exhibited.
2- Byzantine Period Works (395 – 1453 AD)
The base mosaic having dimensions of 6.30 x 3.50 m that has been obtained from Tatköy Church in the excavation made by our museum in 1990 in Sille, Tatköy and the base mosaics obtained from the excavations made in 1991 and 1992 in Çumra, Alibeyhöyük, Kilise Location are exhibited. In another showcase, bronze door knockers, cauldron handles, rolickers, crosses, marks and arrow ends belonging to the Byzantine Period are exhibited.
IV. Works in the Garden
1- Works on the Porch
On the porch at the museum entrance, Byzantine period parts made of stone and marble coming from Sille and Konya centre, grave stones; and grave steles from Roman Period (the 2nd and 3rd century AD) are exhibited.
2- Works in the Front Garden
In the front garden, Roman Period (the 2nd, 3rd century AD) sculptures,grave coffins and stelae, ash boxes, grave lions, column heads made of stone and marble and inscriptions are seen. Among these inscriptions, Iconium, Derbe and Lystra inscriptions are very important.
Atatürk Museum
The two-storeyed historical building that has been built in 1912 on Atatürk Street is made of cut, rubble stone and bricks. The house, which has been registered in 1923 in the name of treasury, has been used as governor’s mansion and has been assigned to Atatürk during his visits to Konya. The house, which is purchased by Konya Municipality from the treasury in 1927, has been registered in the name of Atatürk as an expression of thanks of Konya people to Atatürk and the expression “it is the gift of Konya people to Gazi Mustafa Kemal Pasha, the president” is included in its title deed. The house, which has been purchased by Konya Private Administration against a symbolic price in 1940, has been converted into governor’s mansion again and has been used as Governor’s mansion until 1963.
In 1963, the building has been transferred to Ministry of National Educatin and one year after it has been opened to the public with the name “Atatürk House – Culture Museum” on December 17th 1964.
Atatürk Museum has been restored by General Directorate of Ancient Works and Museums of Ministry of Culture and Tourism upon the demand of Provincial Celebration Committee in the 100th year of Atatürk’s birth and its exhibition and arrangement have been re – made and has been opened to the public on April 17th 1982 as “Atatürk Museum”. In the arrangement of the museum, the feature of the building of being used as a house has been taken into account, therefore no modifications that may deteriorate the architectural features of the house have been made.
In the museum, the role of Konya and Konya people in Independence War has been tried to be expressed with documents and photographs. In the exhibition in the lower and upper halls of the museum, integrity is tried to be provided with the panel and showcase and Atatürk’s Konya visits are expressed with documents and photographs belonging to the pre- republic period in the ground floor.
In the panels, there are documents, photographs and newspaper clippings showing Atatürk’s visits to Konya, the visits he made in the city and the daily notes he kept in this house are exhibited. In the showcases, some clothes belonging to Atatürk and various goods he used in that house can be seen.
Karatay (Encaustic Tile Works) Museum
Madrasa is located in Karatay District, Ferhuniye Quarter, Adliye Boulevard, in the north of Aladdin Hill.
Karatay Madrasa has been constructed by Emir Celaleddin Karatay in Sultan İzzeddin Keykavus II period, in the year 649 in accordance with Islamic calendar (1251 Gregorian). Its architect is not known. The madrasa used in the Ottoman Period has been abandoned at the end of the 19th century.
The madrasa has been constructed from Sille stone in “Closed Madrasa” type for providing education about hadith and Koran commenting in Seljuk Period. It is single – floored. Entrance is provided from the eastern side via a door made of sky and white marble. The door is a masterpiece of Seljuk Period stone workmanship. It is ornamented with inscriptions and motifs. There are inscriptions relating to the construction of the madrasa on the door. Selected verses of Koran and hadiths are written in the form of reliefs on other surfaces of the door.
Through the door, a courtyard, which was covered with a dome before (now open), is entered and from there passage to the madrasa is provided through a door. On the door rim, in the borders on the upper parts of the walls and on the panel over the cell doors, verses of Koran are written.
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim and Ayet – el Kürsi are written on the arch of the liwan with cradle vault which is in the western side of the building. On the triangles, which are elements of transition to the dome, the names of Mohammed, Christ, Moses and David prophets and the names of four caliphs (Ebu Bekir, Ömer, Osman, Ali) are written. The domed cell on the left side of the liwan is the tomb of Celaleddin Karatay.
A big part of the mosaic encaustic tiles on the walls of the madrasa have been shed. The colors used in the encaustic tiles are turquoise, indigo and black.
Karatay Madrasa, having an important place in Anatolian Seljuk Period encaustic tile workmanship has been opened to the public as “Museum of Encaustic Tile Works” in 1955.
The exhibited works belong to Anatolian Seljuk and Ottoman Periods. In the cell, where Celaleddin Karatay Tomb is located and in the student cells in the south, Kubad – Abad Palace encaustic tiles, plaster ornaments, encaustic tile plates, candles and non – glazed ceramics are exhibited. The encaustic tiles of Kubad – Abad Palace are in the form of cross, semi – cross, star with eight corners and square and are made with luster and under – glaze technique. Kubad – Abad Palace, which has been constructed upon the order of Alaeddin Keykubat the 1st, has been found by Konya Museum Director Zeki Oral in 1949, after İbrahim Hakkı Konyalı and Prof. Dr. Osman Turan pointed out that it should be around Beyşehir. Kubad – Abad, which has been left to itself for a long period after the excavation studies and drilling works of Zeki Oral in 1952, Katharina Ottodorn in 1965 – 1966 and Mehmet Önder in 1967, has been re-handled by Prof. Dr. Rüçhan Arık starting from 1980 and systematic excavations have been started.
Encaustic tile ruins belonging to Seljuk Period and ceramics belonging to the Seljuk and Ottoman Period are exhibited in the liwan. In the domed hall, glass plates, encaustic tile parts belonging to the Seljuk Period, ceiling centres of Beyşehir Eşrefoğlu Mosque and ceramics belonging to the Ottoman Period are located.
Sırçalı Madrasa (Grave Monuments) Museum
Sırçalı Madrasa has been used as madrasa in Seljuk and Ottoman periods. The student rooms of the madrasa, which has been left in the 17th century, have been destroyed. In the 19th century, education has been continued in rooms made of sun – dried bricks.
The madrasa has been taken to repair and protection in 1954 and has been opened to the public as “Grave Monuments” section connected to Konya Museum in 1960. In 1969, it has been restored by the Ministry of Culture in compliance with its original.
The catacomb belonging to the Byzantine Period, which was under earth in the garden of the museum that has been re – taken into restoration between the years 1988 – 1990 and whose exhibition and arrangement have been remade, has been repaired and opened for visit. In Sırçalı Madrasa Grave Monuments Museum, grave stones belonging to Seljuk, Karamanoğlu and Ottoman periods that are valuable in terms of history and art history and that are collected from the cemetreies, most of which have disappeared by time, are being exhibited.
The upper floor of Grave Monuments Museum is still being used by “Directorate of Reliefs and Monuments”.
Sırçalı Madrasa, which is one of the most important madrasas of Konya and Anatolia, is in Konya Province, Meram District, Gazialemşah Quarter.Sırçalı Madrasa, that is among the madrasas having an open courtyard, two liwans and two floors, has been constructed by Bedreddin Muslih in the Period of Gıyaseddin Keyhüsrev the 2nd. In the front parts of the building cut stone is used, while in other parts rubble stone is used. It has been used as madrasa until 1924 with various changes.
The front side of the madrasa lying in east – west direction is made of cut stone. The throne door making a projection forward is ornamented with geometric and Anatolian ornaments. In the part on the entrance door, there is an inscription. At two sides of this inscription, there are ornamental workmanship samples. Furthermore, as we see in classical Seljuk throne doors, there are two niches at both sides of the door. After the entrance, cradle vaulted liwan is located.
This, in some way, is in the form of a second liwan. Due to the composition of the second floor, the vault cover in the form of Bursa arch covered with glazed bricks and encaustic tiles is low. There is a tomb on the right and the madrasa room on the left. The tomb has a dome – like vault cover and one of its windows open to the front side, while another opens to the courtyard. Its walls and cover is made in herringbone pattern with glazed bricks. The madrasa room on the left is covered with cradle vault and a window opens to the front side. The strong madrasa room, which has survived until today, is this room.
The madrasa has a rectangular courtyard and a pool in the middle of the courtyard. The courtyard is surrounded with porches in three directions. From the remaining parts of the porches, it is understood that the legs, wall surfaces are covered with glazed bricks and encaustic tiles in various shapes. There are four student cells on each of the left and right sides of the courtyard. Total number of rooms is sixteen with the rooms in the upper floor. The doors and windows of the rooms open to the courtyard.
There is one domed room on each of the right side and left side of the main liwan. These are classical winter classrooms. The main liwan, which is the most ornamented and magnificent place of the building, is very strong today. But the hexagonal encaustic tiles on the liwan arch and the encaustic tiles on the upper part of the liwan have been shed or destroyed. The liwan is separated from the courtyard with a step. Its front side is ornamented with encaustic tiles and inscriptions in various shapes and appearances. These inscriptions are suras taken from Koran. In the middle of the hexagon in the arch, the inscription of the architect of the building is located. It is written that the madrasa has been constructed by “Tuslu Mehmet Usta”. The inscription borders go around the liwan’s front side. The mihrab, whose encaustic tiles have been shed, is located on the southern wall of the liwan. Sırçalı Madrasa encaustic tiles have an important place in terms of encaustic tile art.
İnce Minaret (Stone and Wooden Works) Museum
It is in Konya Province, Selçuklu District, in the west of Alaeddin Hill. It has been constructed by Vizier Sahip Ata Fahreddin Ali in the term of Seljuk Sultan İzzeddin Keykavuz the 2nd, for providing hadith science education in the year 663 in Islamic calendar (1264 Gregorian). The architect of the building is Keluk bin Abdullah.
Darü-l Hadis is among the madrasas of Seljuk Period having closed courtyard. It has a single liwan. The throne door in its eastern side is among the most beautiful samples of Seljuk Period stone workmanship. Three small columns and arch box located on both sides of the entrance arch are ornamented with plant and geometric motifs.
From the throne door, the place with cross vault is accessed. This place, which is not seen when looked from the front, constitutes symmetry for the main liwan of the building.Two niches on the side walls of this place provide an aesthetic appearance for the architecture.
From the cross vaulted entrance part, audience hall is entered. Cradle vaulted and rectangular planned student cells are located in the south and north of the square planned, domed courtyard, in the middle of which, there is a pool. Passage to the dome is provided with pandantives. On the dome rim, “El – Mülkü – Lillah” “Ayet – el Kürsi” is written with kufi writing. The building provides light from the crenel and rectangular windows and the lantern in the dome.
Across the entrance, the liwan with low vault, to which access is provided via three steps, is located. There is a square – planned, domed classroom on each of the two sides of the liwan. The front side of the monumental structure is made of cut stone and the external sides of the side walls are made of rubble stone. Brick has been used in internal locations for both static and decorative purposes.
From the mosque located in the north, only the mihrab made of brick has remained today. The base part of the minaret, which has given its name to the building, is coated with regularly cut stone. The body part is completely made of brick. Its body existing today has eight corners and is in the form of bumps in various shapes. The minaret is made of turquoise coloured, white – dough bricks. While the original of the minaret had two balconies, the thunderbolt that has fallen in 1901 has destroyed one of the two balconies.
İnce Minaret Madrasa has carried out its activity until the end of the 19th century. It is known to be repaired between the years 1876 – 1899. After various repair works that were started in 1936 in the Republic Period, it was opened to service as Stone and Wooden Works Museum.
In the museum, construction and repair inscriptions written with carving technique on stone and marble belonging to Seljuk and Karamanoğlu Periods, high reliefs belonging to Konya Fort, door and window wings ornamented with geometric and plant motifs made with carving technique on various wooden materials, samples of wooden ceiling centre and tombstones made on marble and coffins are exhibited.
The most beautiful samples of double headed eagle, which was the symbol of Seljuks whose capital city was Konya, and winged angel figures are exhibited in this museum.
Ethnography Museum
The building, which has been constructed for education purposes, is opened to service as Ethnography Museum in 1975. In the basement of the three – 
floored building, photography section, archive, goods and study work warehouses, boiler room and the carpet – kilim section, for which the works are still being carried out and which is planned to be opened in 1998, are located.
In the ground floor, exhibition hall and Dr. Mehmet Önder Conference Hall are located; in the first floor administrative services, library and work warehouses are located.
In the exhibition hall, the ethnographic works belonging to Konya and its surroundings, which have been provided to the museum by purchase, donation and transfer from other museums, are exhibited.
Among the exhibited works, there are embroideries, sacks of various sizes and types, ornamented bundles, hand towels, drawstrings, hand painted cloth samples, samples from last period Turkish clothes, bindallı, wedding cloth, short jacket, robe, underwear and shalwar samples, woman ornamental goods, belt buckles, bracelets, fez hangers, cap samples, coffee cup and envelopes, coffee box, coffee pans, coffee mills, coffee set samples; metal, glass and porcelain kitchen pots, recovery and bath pots, candelabrum, censer, rose water cup samples; prayer bead samples made of various materials, materials used in calligraphy and writing set; drawer, bookrest, hand writings, writing plate samples; wooden mother – of – pearl inlaid hall set and drawer samples; carpet – kilim and rug samples belonging to Seljuk, Ottoman and Republic Periods; arrows, bows, arrow cases, daggers, swords and flint – pistol, capsule – pistol and rifles and their auxiliary gun materials belonging to Ottoman and Republic Periods.
Sille Aya – Elena Church
Sille is a residence unit that is 7 km to the city centre, connected to Selçuk District of Konya Province.
327 years after the birth of Christ, mother of Byzantine Emperor Helena has stopped at Konya while going to Jerusalem for pilgrimage and seen the carved temples belonging to the first periods of Christianity and decided to have a temple built in Sille for the Christians. She has been present in the base laying ceremony of this temple, on behalf of Mihail Arkhankolos. The church has been repaired for centuries and reached today.
A Turkish repair inscription written on the internal structure of the church with Greek letters provides information relating to the history of the church. This inscription is dated 1833. On the same inscription, there is an inscription of three lines indicating that the church has been repaired for the fourth time in Sultan Mecit Period.
The church has been constructed with smoothly cut Sille stone. There are rooms carved into rocks in its courtyard. The external nartex is entered from the door of the church opening towards north. Here, two – directioned stone stairs going to the women’s part are located. The main dome of the church is on four elephant legs and the church has three nephs. There is a wooden preaching aisle which is ornamented with plaster in the church and the wooden plastered cage separating the abscissa and the main location is an artistic masterpiece. There are pictures of Christ, Mary and the disciples on dome transitions and bearer legs.
Eflatunpınar
It is in Konya Province, Beyşehir District and Eflatunpınar Village. The monument was introduced to the science world for the first time in 1849 by W.J. Hamilton. Thereafter F. Sarre and J. Garstang have issued books about this monument.
The monument consists of reliefs on rectangular stones near a water spring. The reliefs, which did not lose their quality, are carved on 14 stone blocks. The first plan of the monument is not known.
This monument is smaller than other open – air monuments. It is not carved into a natural rock, but formed by laying figured block stones. The first construction date of water collection pool of this monument, which is near the water spring, has not been researched yet.
Fasıllar
Fasıllar monument lays on the western skirt of a small hill that is in the south of Fasıllar Village of Beyşehir District of Konya. Ramsay has issued this monument with the name Fasıllar. It is estimated to have a weight of 70 tons and it is made of basalt. The short distance between the monument and the quarry, where it has been made, shows that this monument has been made for another place, but left at that location which is not suitable, for any reasons. There is a god, two lions and a second god, which is less important than the first god on the monument.
The God has put one of his feet on the lion and the other (left) on the mountain god. Just beside the mountain god, another lion depiction, which is similar to the other lion, is made.
Some parts of the monument are not detailed and some parts of it are very roughly made and this shows that this monument has been prepared to be put at a location that can be seen from very long distances.
Hittites generally make the monuments by smoothing a side of a natural rock and ornamenting this side with reliefs. But in Fasıllar monument, depiction is made on a single large block.
Since the figures on the monument resemble the figures in Eflatunpınar and the orthostates in Alacahöyük, it is thought that they belong to the Period of Tuthalia the 4th.
Karahöyük
One of the important historical centres of Konya, which has been searched and being searched is Karahöyük. Karahöyük has taken its name from Karahöyük Village that is close to it. The village beside the asphalt road going to Hatıp District, at 15 km northeastern of the Province centre, is in the borders of Konya Municipality today.
The scientific works in Karahöyük were started on September 17th 1953, under the chairmanship of Prof. Dr. Sedat Alp, with the cooperation of TTK, Ankara University, Mid Anatolia Research Station and Museums General Directorate. The excavations have been interrupted in 1959 and 1967 – 1970 and re – started thereafter.
Karahöyük has been an important crossroads where north – south and east – west roads intersect in the history, as it is today. In Hittite Empire Period, Konya region was connected to the culture of Huuassana, the goddess of Hupisna (Ereğli “Kybistra”) and included in Luvi language group.
The finds obtained in Karahöyük until today provide information relating to the cultural and commercial relationships of the period to which they belong. It is the most important centre of seal art before the Hittite Empire Period in the southern part of Mid Anatolia. Graffito, pot trademarks and some seals provide aid in the research of early stages of writing in Anatolia. Among other finds, there are beak – mouthed water jugs, cups, clover – mouthed water jugs, rhytons, grape cluster shaped pots. Horse shoe shaped, stamped altars, stoves and half moon shaped lintels are characteristic works of their periods.
As the result of the researches, 27 building floors have been determined in Karahöyük and the main soil has been found at a depth of 29.10 m at the section named as C hallow. There is a silt layer of 1.5 m thickness on this main soil and the culture layers are in this silt layer.
Layering
1 – 111 Layers: have provided materials belonging to the first quarter of 2nd thousand BC. The stamp seals found in the 1st floor belong to the last phase of Period of Colonies.
IV.XI layers: Ceramics called as intermediate have been obtained. These ceramics have been found intensely in Vth and VIth layers.
XII. XXII. Layers: These layers provide ceramics of the type seen in the mid and last phases of Troia 1, which are called as “Early Aegean Ceramic” by Blegen.
XXII. XXVII Layers: Although they provide findings belonging to more ancient times than Troia 1 civilization, the characteristic works of Calcolithic Period have not been met.
In accordance with these data, Karahöyük has culture layers following each other without interruption and belonging to Early and Mid Bronze Periods. The materials obtained show that Karahöyük has been in cultural and commercial relationship with Kızılırmak region, especially Kültepe Cappadoccia Region, Alişar, Boğazköy, Acemköy, Gordion, Troia, Karataş Semahöyük, Tarsus, Tell – Açana, Cyprus, Syria, Mesopotamia and Miken residence centres. It has been claimed that at the beginning of 2nd thousand BC, there could be a Hittite ethnic group that mixed with Luvi people under the impact of Hittites in
Karahöyük.
Kubad – Abad Palace
Kubad – Abad Palace complex, which is mentioned by the famous Seljuk historian İbn Bibi in his Selçukname and which is constructed upon the order of Alaeddin Keykubad the 1st (1220 – 1236) is the only Seljuk palace building that could reach today. Kubad – Abad, around which a city with the same name has been established in Anatolian Seljuks Period has been abandoned and buried into the darkness of history.
After İbrahim Hakkı Konyalı and Prof. Dr. Osman Turan have pointed out that the palace should be around Beyşehir, Konya Museum Director Zeki Oral has found the place of Kubad – Abad in 1949. Kubad – Abad, which has been left to itself for a long period after the excavation studies and drilling works of Zeki Oral in 1952, Katharina Ottodorn in 1965 – 1966 and Mehmet Önder in 1967, has been re-handled by Prof. Dr. Rüçhan Arık starting from 1980 and systematic excavations have been started.
After excavating the perimetre of the Small Palace in Kubad – Abad Palace Complex, Prof. Dr. Rüçhan Arık has performed researches and excavations in Selçuklu Mansion in Malanda in the hinterland of Kubad – Abad and in Kız Fort that has a connection with the palace complex.
In these excavation works, the main structure in Kız Fort and in – situ encaustic tiles, the bath part and the architectural ruins around the Small Palace, that is among the important units of the palace complex at the shore have been brought to open; furthermore, with the drilling in Malanda Mansion, the plan of the existing part of the building has been shown. In the excavations, many encaustic tiles, ceramics, plasters, glasses and coins belonging to the Seljuk Period have been found. Under the Seljuk layer around the Small Palace, ruins and small finds belonging to the Ancient Period have been determined.
Konya, Hadim Bolat Area Astra Archaic City
Astra archaic city is located in Temaşalık Hill location of Bolat Area of Hadim District of Konya Province.
Upon its being subject to big illegal excavations, it has been taken under protection with a guard and has been converted into a ruin place connected to Konya Museum Directorate. But in 1955, its guard has retired.
With the asphalt road turning to west from the crossroads that is 17 km to Hadim on Konya – Hadim highway, Bolat Area is reached and from there, with a 6 km stabilized road, the location is reached. Thereafter, by walking on a steep and rough path for approximately 4 km, Temaşalık Hill, Astra can be reached.
Astra archaic city has been first found in 1885 by Sterret. Sterret has worked only on inscriptions and 7 inscriptions have been found. From these inscriptions, it has learned that the name of the city was Astra. Then Miss Hereward has found 2 inscriptions, and Mitford has found 16 new inscriptions in 1966. In 1992, in Astra city, where no scientific studies were carried out except reading a few inscriptions, cleaning and drilling works have been started by a commission under the chairmanship of Archeologist Osman Ermişler. The works were continued in 1993 and 1994. The plan of the city has been determined, its plundered appearance has been eliminated, although partially, and its structures have been completed. The church and auditorium have been brought to light as the result of the excavations made and the plans and reliefs of them have been prepared. Two typical Isaura – character graves have been opened in the necropolis. As the result of reading the inscriptions, it has been evidenced that the city had an administration special to it and it was a town connected to Isaura. The ceramic furnace found shows that ceramics were produced in Roman Period in Astra.
Astra archaic city is in the northern part of Toros Mountains, in Isaura region. It forms a triangle with other important cities of Isaura state, namely Isaura and Astanada and these cities can be seen with naked eye from Astra. An inscription relating to a donation made by a rich man from Isaura has proved its relation with Isaura. From two Antiocheia coins belonging to Roman Period, it has been understood that this place had commercial relationships with Pisidiae Antiocheia.
The city is located on the flat top of Temaşalık Hill, lying in east – west direction.This hill is situated on 1760m above the sea level. Important structures are placed on two sides of the agora lying in the form of a large area in east – west direction, in the middle of the top. On the eastern, southern and northern skirts of the hill surrounded by city walls constructed with rubble stones without mortar, a big number of civil structures and houses are grouped. There are two necropolises, one of which is in the east and the other in the west. There are many ash boxes, steles and grave lions in the necropolises. In the west of the western necropolis and on the eastern skirts of Kuralan Hill, the plateau houses of Bolat Village are located. These plateau houses having a single room, made of simple piled rubble stone without mortar and plaster were started to be constructed 80 – 100 years ago and the houses are about to be ruined.
The road starting from the Devler Gediği Plain, where western necropolis is located, reaches the mid part of the city wall from the southern skirt of Temaşalık Hill. It is a sloped and narrow road.The shoes of the entrance door of the city are in place, its upper arch and other parts are on the ground. Through the door, agora is entered. On the southern edge of Agora, the bazaar structure is located, after that, towards east, the ruins of Zeus Astragos temple is seen. In the western part of the agora, there are two heroon ruins across the door. At the western end of the agora, the high fort, which is surrounded with wall is located. The fort is reached through an arched door from the east. In the northern part of the fort, a second temple ruin is seen. This is understood to be a temple from the inscription obtained in it.
On the northern side of Agora, an auditorium belonging to the Roman Period is located. In the east of 2/3 circle planned auditorium having nine steps and eight metre diametre, a church has been constructed in the 5th – 6th century AD. The church has a three – neph basilica plan. It has been found as the result of cleaning. Auditorium must have been used as the meeting place of the church in that period. From the eastern door of the city, the eastern necropolis is reached. There is a monumental grave on the eastern side of eastern necropolis, the entrance of which is surrounded with courtyard wall. Two sarcophagus bases are seen in it. A heroon is seen on the northwestern side of the monumental grave. The ceramic furnace that has been opened in the northwest of the monumental grave has proved that ceramics have been produced here in the 2nd and 3rd century in Roman Period. The pot prints and printed pot parts found in the furnace are interesting.
The works that will be carried out in Astra archaic city may provide many other data for the Archaeology science.
Çatalhöyük
Çatalhöyük is in the borders of Çumra District of Konya and is located 10 km east of the district. The tumulus is in the form of a hill having two hill plains of different heights. It has taken the adjective fork because of these two heights. Çatalhöyük has been found by J. Mellaart in 1958 and its excavation has been performed in the years 1961 – 1963 and 1965. As the result of the researches made on the western slope of the high hill, 13 structure layers have been found. The earliest residence layer is dated to 5500 BC. This dating, performed with style critic’s method, has been verified with C14 method. With its finds special the first residence, first house architecture and first holy structures, it is a centre holding a light to the human history.
The best known period of the residence, that is urbanization in Çatalhöyük is the 7th and 11th layers. The walls of quadruple walled houses are next to each other. There are no common walls. Each house has its own individual wall. The houses are separately planned and another house is built near the existing house in case of a need. Due to the neighboring walls of the houses, there is no street in the city. Transportation is provided through plain roofs. No findings having the characteristics of city walls protecting and bordering the city could be found. The material used in the construction is sun – dried brick, trees and reeds. The base depths of the houses are small. There are wooden columns between the walls. The beams on these columns bear the flat ceiling. The upper cover of the ceiling is clay soil pressed on reed. The houses are single – floored and entrance is provided via a ladder from a hole opened on the roof. Each house consists of a room and a warehouse. There are quadruple Owens in the rooms, steps having heights varying between 10 – 30 cm from the floor base and quadruple niches in the walls. The walls are plastered. After painting the plaster in white, paintings in yellow, red and black tons are made. Holy rooms are bigger than other rooms. The trophies of original bull head, ram head and deer heads conserved with pressed clay are appliqued on the walls. Besides these, human and animal figures in relief form are also seen. Wall paintings in Çatalhöyük are found in the 10th layer as the earliest and in the 11th layer as the latest. The most beautiful and developed ones belong to the 7th and 5th layers. These paintings are the continuation of the paintings made by the Paleolithic man on cave walls. They are paintings made for the abundance of the hunt. Towards the late period, it is seen that house scenes become less frequent and bird motifs and geometric patterns occur more often.
It is thought that the human figures without head painted on the walls as being eaten by vultures are related with the traditions of burying the dead. The bones cleaned from the flesh being eaten by the vultures are collected and wrapped to a coating made of mat and buried under the figures in the house. In the researches made under the figures, many skeletons have been found. As the gifts for the dead, tools made of bones, coloured stones, cutter tools, stone axes, beads made of sea shells are put. The small sculptures obtained in Çatalhöyük excavation provide us information abut the beginning of mother goddess culture (worship) and the beliefs of that period. These small sculptures made of cooked soil and stone have sizes varying between 5 – 15 cm. they are depicted as fat women with big breasts and big hips and sometimes as giving a birth. This is because of their representing abundance and blessing. Almost all of the tools and materials obtained in Çatalhöyük are stone, cooked earth, axes, shallow plates, high relief abundance goddess motifs and the bracelets and necklaces. Black and tile red coloured pots and cups having a rough – granule dough made of cooked earth have been found. Furthermore, the mother goddess and holy animal figures are made of cooked earth. The cutter and perforator tools made of bone and spear and arrow ends made of obsidian are the most important materials used in Çatalhöyük.
No excavations have been made in Çatalhöyük until 1996; starting from this year excavations have been continued by English Archaeology Institute, under the chairmanship of Ian Hodder. The excavation finds are in Konya Archaeology Museum. Some of them are exhibited and the others are taken under protection in the warehouses
