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 which can
accommodate large groups of visitors and students (Fig. 5). The Kerkenes Eco-Center Project
has thus evolved and a 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 (Figs 6, 7 and 8).
Fieldwork and 'Hands on' Activities
The Kerkenes Project 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 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' sessions of the elective course Arch 325, 'Architecture
in situ' (Figs 9, 10 and 11). With the emphasis being on environmental design and recycling,
students have selected mudbricks, straw bales, old tyres, recycled bottles and other suitable
material to realise their projects while at the same time adding to the amenities of the
Kerkenes Project compound (Figs 12 and 13).
Visitors
Yozgat is an ideal choice for an overnight stay as tours of Central Anatolia progress
from Hattusa to Cappadocia. Andante Travel this year visited Kerkenes in both May and
October (Figs 14, 15 and 16). Guests are eager to see the Iron Age capital as well as the Eco-
Center where lunch simmers on solar cookers.On the Sunday 16th of May, a large group of students led by the Yozgat Museum
director Hasan Şenyurt visited Kerkenes (Figs 17, 18 and 19)
Ahmet and Dilek Türer visited the site with their two daughters in April 2010 (Fig. 20).
A report, including structural recommendations, prepared by Ahmet Türer was submitted
together with the Restoration Project proposal for consideration by the Sivas Committee.
The delegation from the Sivas Regional Commission on the Conservation of Cultural
and Natural Property scheduled a site visit in May (Fig. 21) before the proposal was due to be
discussed by the committee.
In the autumn while excavations were in progress at the Cappadocia Gate, Stefania
Mazzoni, Carlo Corti, representative Ozan Corrado Rijavc and Alessandro Poggio visited the
site in spite of their busy survey schedule at Kuşaklı Höyük (Fig 22).
The visit from the Sorgun district governor, Levent Kiliç, and the Sorgun director of
education, Yusuf Yazıcı, ccoincided with that of Güzin Türel from the Department of
Architecture at Bozok University in Yozgat (Fig. 23). The Mayor of Sorgun, Ahmet Şimşek,
visited the excavations at the Cappadocia Gate with other local officials (Fig. 24).
The Kerkenes Team hosted a group from the American Research Institute in Turkey
(ARIT) in the autumn when the Cappadocia Gate restoration work, funded by the US
Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation, was in progress (Fig. 25). In October, a group
from the Archaeological Tours of New York visited as the restoration of the glacis was
nearing completion (Fig. 26).
The Kerkenes Festival On October 2, 2010, the Kerkenes Festival, again held to promote all aspects of the
project, was attended by many local dignitaries, Turkish and international university staff and
students and, most importantly, local people (Figs 27 and 28).
The highlight of the site visit was the Cappadocia Gate where the Yozgat governor,
Necati Şentürk, expressed his appreciation for the good work done by the restoration team
(Fig. 29). Restoration architect Nilüfer Yöney guided the visit, explaining the ongoing
program of excavation and restoration (Fig. 30). Lunch was served at the Kerkenes Eco-
Center (Fig. 31) before the local folklore group performed in front of the Kerkenes House
(Figs 32, 33 and 34).
Lutgarde Vandeput, director of the British Institute at Ankara (BIAA), accompanied by
Gülgün Girdivan and Abby Robinson, were given explanations by the project director,
Geoffrey Summers (Figs 35 and 36).
The project team members, Güzin Eren, Yasemin Özarslan and Sema Bağci led large
groups of visitors and students on a site tour (Figs 37 and 38). The Middle East Technical
University Science Bus, ODTÜ Bilim Otobüsü, was made available to staff and students for
the day (Fig. 39).
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