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Abstract
In Turkey, most of the historic city centres have been continuously occupied since early ages, and ongoing research or ad hoc findings indicate urban archaeological resources beneath modern cities. According to the results of such research, archaeological and conservation sites are determined in terms of current legal frameworks. However, urban archaeological resources have not been included in the planning process because of inadequacy in spatial documentation, so archaeological deposits have been seen as problem areas in urban development. Thus, urban archaeological resources — not only subsoil resources, even monumental sites — could not be integrated into urban daily life, so most citizens are not aware of archaeological layers beneath their feet. The research project in Tarsus historic city centre, which is supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), primarily aims to develop a method to include urban archaeology — especially subsoil archaeological resources — into the urban conservation planning process of multilayered historic city centres in Turkey. In this way, planners would be informed, aware, and equipped about the urban archaeological potential at the earliest stages of the planning process. Consequently, urban archaeology, as an inter-/ multi-disciplinary field of research, is going to evolve as a crucial planning analysis in urban conservation including not only archaeological research, but also in evaluating settlement history and issues in urban development.
Acknowledgements
The research project is supported by TUBITAK-1001 (Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey) Support Program (Project No: 113K132). The Project Team includes assistant professor Dr Burak Belge (city planner) as coordinator, associate professor Dr Ümit Aydınoğlu (archaeologist) as researcher, professor Dr Numan Tuna (city planner and archaeologist) as advisor, Züleyha Sara Belge (city planner), İlkay Göçmen (archaeologist), Dr Cem Güllüoğlu (GIS expert), İlksen Urgancı Güllüoğlu (GIS expert) and Ahmet Mörel (archaeologist) as scholars. Project website: http://urbanarchaeo.mersin.edu.tr/eng.html.
Notes
1. In Turkey, three conservation categories are determined for archaeological sites by legal and administrative framework. First- and second-degree conservation categories let only archaeological works and arrangements with minimum interventions. But, in third-degree / category archaeological sites, development can be allowed after inquiry soundings by archaeological museums and permissions of regional conservation councils. In defined context, the landowner must apply to the museums for archaeological works. After that, museum experts make inquiry soundings with financial support of the landowner or the entrepreneurs according to ‘polluter pay’ regulations. However, the regulations include only basic excavation costs, no budget for detailed documentation or conservation, even fencing. After that, when archaeological artefacts or architectural remains are found, the parcel will be registered as a first-degree archaeological site, but landowners will be upset, so the parcels are going to turn into gaps like a decayed tooth in urban life.
3. Hermann Jansen, Walther Banghert and Walter Moest, Tarsus Master Plan, TU Berlin Architekturmuseum, Inv. Nr; 23465, 23466, 23467, 23468, 23469, 23470, 23471 and 23472; http://architekturmuseum.ub.tu-berlin.de/index.php?set=1&p=51&sid=854491768&z=1, accessed in July 2015.
