ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We are
grateful to Dr Alpay Pasinli and his staff at the General Directorate
of Monuments and Museums for the warmth of their support, to our representative
Mevlüt Üyümez of the Afyon Museum who once again showed tremendous
enthusiasm and friendship, to the Yozgat Museum Director, Erol Özen,
who was most encouraging and helpful. We would also like to thank
Mr Hüseyin Önal, Governor of Yozgat; Ms Salime Dogan, Yozgat Director
of Culture; Mr Mustafa Dündar, Sorgun District Governor; and Mr Yilmaz
Kiliçarslan, Mayor of Sorgun, for their continuing support.
The Kerkenes Project is officially sponsored by the British Institute
of Archaeology at Ankara and operates from a Project Room provided
by the Faculty of Architecture at METU. Yibitas Lafarge continues
to be a major year-round sponsor of the project through the METU Development
Foundation. The METU Computer Centre provides technical support and
hosts the Kerkenes web page. With completion of the Remote Sensing
program, which primarily targets study of the dynamics of the urban
geography, we would like to make special mention of the generous support
that has been provided by the National Geographic Society for this
aspect of the Project. In 2002, in addition to grants from the BIAA
and the NGS, generous support was received from the Stahl Fund of
the University of California at Berkeley, Mr Khosrow Semnani, Mrs
Linda Noe Laine, The Joukowsky Family Foundation, The Charlotte Bonham-Carter
Trust and anonymous donors. The Faculty of Architecture at METU provided
a research grant for Photo-Rectification and 3D Modelling studies
which was coordinated by Prof. Ömür Bakirer and to which Mr Refik
Toksöz contributed expertise.
Thanks to the British Embassy and the BIAA the new laboratory and
storage facilities have been furnished. GEOSCAN, ESRI, ERDAS and Islem
GIS assist with software. Sponsors contributing to our current publication
program and other aspects of the project include Arti, Bell Helicopter-Textron,
METU Press, MNG Holding, Royal Color, Sokkia-Seza, Soylu Aviation
and Yenigün AS. Assistance is also provided by the Geological Engineering
Department and GGIT (Geodetic and Geographic Information Technologies)
at METU, as well as by the Hydrogeology Department at Hacettepe University.
We continue to be deeply indebted to the Headman, Ali Erciyas, and
people of Sahmuratli Village for extending traditional Anatolian hospitality.
Osman Muratdagi, owner of the village minibus, continues to assist
with transport and logistics while Dr Sevket Bagci, to help with seasonal
water shortages, has very kindly allowed a borehole to be drilled
on his plot of land opposite the Kerkenes house.
On the 3rd of August the Project celebrated its 10th season. On this
same occasion and trees were planted to mark the first grant, awarded
by the Australian Embassy, for the Kerkenes Eco-Centre initiative.
The Yozgat Köy Hizmetleri, TEDAS and Türk Telekom (Rural Services,
Electricity and Telephone) also provided assistance. Our guests were
well received thanks to the contributions from the Ankara Hilton,
Kamar Supermarket and Kavmar AS.
Ten years of hard work, the dedication and enthusiasm by the Kerkenes
team, including that essential element of men employed from the village,
have provided significant results. The complete list of Project sponsors
and participants can be found on our web page:
http://www.metu.edu.tr/home/wwwkerk/
THE ROLEX AWARD FOR
ENTERPRISE
It
is perhaps more than fitting that at the very juncture whereby the
Kerkenes Project is metamorphosing from Remote Sensing to Excavation
and Site Enhancement, our innovative approach has been recognised
through the accolade of a Rolex Associate Laureateship. This Award
will not only secure the start of the new program but will also enable
conservation and partial reconstruction of one of the most visibly
impressive stone built monuments at Kerkenes, the 'Cappadocia Gate'.
Total clearance, preservation and enhancement of this, perhaps the
most important of the seven gates at Kerkenes, have thus been transformed
from a dream into reality. The Rolex Awards web page includes:
http://www.rolexawards.com/lauteats/laureate1.jsp?id=
