Fig. 05	Fig. 06	Fig. 07	Fig. 08	Fig. 09

     Collaboration and Support
     International cooperation continues for fieldwork, post-fieldwork and publication with the Center for Ancient and Middle Eastern Landscapes (CAMEL) at the Oriental Institute in Chicago, The Malcolm and Carolyn Wiener Laboratory of Aegean and Near Eastern Dendrochronology at Cornell University, UC Berkeley, SUNY Buffalo, Laboratoire de Géographie Physique - CNRS and the Anatolian Iron Age Ceramics Project. The Italian survey team from the University of Florence shared the Kerkenes Project facilities while conducting their survey at the nearby site of Kuşaklı and a collaborative regional survey program is being prepared.
     Collaboration at METU involves the Faculty of Architecture, the Faculty of Engineering, the Museum and TAÇDAM. Colleagues and students from the Department of Geological Engineering and its Remote Sensing and GIS Laboratory, the Department of Metallurgical Engineering, the Materials Conservation Laboratory and Photogrammetry Center and the Graduate Programs in Settlement Archaeology, Archaeometry and GGIT contribute to the research and publication activities. Ongoing work is also in progress with a team from the Departments of Hydrogeology and Anthropology at Hacettepe University.

     Project Facilities
     Thanks to the generosity of sponsors and friends, the Kerkenes Project is provided with facilities such as the Erdoğan Akdağ Center for Research and Education (Fig. 5) and the Kerkenes Eco-Center which can accommodate large groups of visitors and students. The Kerkenes team based at METU works in collaboration with ŞAHDER, the Kerkenes and Şahmuratlı Village Association for Public Relations, Prosperity, Help and Support, to promote sustainable rural development and to involve villagers in the daily running of the expedition. The Kerkenes Eco-Center promotes sustainable rural life through the development of renewable energy, drip irrigated organic gardens, and building with appropriate materials and energy efficient designs. Fieldwork and 'Hands on' Activities
     Kerkenes has provided fieldwork experience to archaeology and architecture students from Turkey and abroad since 1993. New facilities provided over the years permit an increasing variety of educational activities to take place for visiting students and villagers.
     Students from the Middle East Technical University come to the Kerkenes Eco-Center to take part in the 'Hands on Building' program of the elective course 'Architecture in situ' (Figs 6 and 7). With the emphasis being on environmental design and recycling, students have selected strawbales, mudbricks, old tyres and bottles to realise their projects while at the same time adding to the amenities of the Kerkenes House. Erasmus exchange students from France and Italy were among those who took part in the activities this year.

     Visitors
     Yozgat is an ideal choice for an overnight as a tour of Central Anatolia progresses from Hattusa to Cappadocia. Andante Travel this year visited Kerkenes in the spring as well as in the autumn (Figs 8 and 9) and both groups were eager to see the site and the Eco-Center where lunch was simmering on the solar cookers. Groups of teachers, students and members from organisations (Figs 10 and 11) visit Kerkenes mostly during the summer months.

     Visit by James Jeffrey, Ambassador of the United States of America
     On the 17th of July we were honoured by a visit from the Ambassador of the United Sates of America, Mr James Jeffrey in connection with an award from the Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation to conserve and enhance the glacis in front of the 'Cappadocia Gate' at Kerkenes (Fig. 12). Yozgat Governor Amir Çiçek and Mrs Çiçek generously hosted the Ambassador and Mrs Jeffrey for the day. A copious breakfast at the recently restored Hayri İnal Konağı was offered by Yozgat Mayor Yusuf Başer. The visit to the Yozgat Museum started with speeches from the Ambassador, Governor, and Kerkenes Project Director followed by a short powerpoint presentation of archaeological assets in the province given by Hasan Şenyurt, the Museum Acting Director. Following a tour of the museum, which includes the Kerkenes exhibition installed only last year, the party proceeded to Kerkenes itself where there was time to climb the Kale for the expansive view that it offers and to tour the Cappadocia Gate (Fig. 13). At the Kerkenes Eco-Centre, where project activities include the promotion of solar energy, guests were shown an array of different solar cookers and driers (Fig. 14). The Sorgun District Governor Ertuğrul Kılıç offered an excellent local lunch of Testi Kebab, a speciality of Yozgat, provided by the Sorgun Büyük Termal Oteli. We would like to thank all those who laboured to make this special day such a success, particularly the Sorgun Jandarma (Gendarmerie) and the hospitable people of Şahmuratlı Village.

Fig. 10	Fig. 11	Fig. 12	Fig. 13	Fig. 14