The Relationship Between Karapapak Turks Gravestones with Central Asia Gravestone

Ulaş Kılıç

Article Details

The Relationship Between Karapapak Turks Gravestones with Central Asia Gravestone

Authors:

Ulaş Kılıç

Publisher:

Ege University

Main Topics:

İslam Öncesi Türk Tarihi | Türk Halkları ve Toplulukları | Türk Kültür Tarihi

Journal:

Türk Dünyası İncelemeleri Dergisi Vol.24 Issue 2, pp.507-524

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

12/2024

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001333186

pISSN:

1301-2045

Keywords:

Abstract:

 Within the scope of the study, the villages and district centers of Karapapak Terekeme Turks located in Ardahan, Kars, Kayseri and Sivas provinces were visited and examples of tombstones made by Karapapak Turks and resembling Central Asian stone sculptures were examined in these settlements. Through the tombstones examined in these provinces, it was discussed how a Sunni Turkish tribe called Karapapak, Terekeme or Papakli adopted the tombstone making traditions seen in Huns, Gokturks and other Turks. The tombstones made by Karapapak Turks at the end of the 19th century and in the 20th century will show us that the tradition of making tombstones in the form of human statues continued afterwards. These abstract human statue tombstones were made by a Sunni Turkish tribe in Anatolia and are examples that have close similarities with Central Asian stone sculptures with their head, neck, shoulder, abdomen and in some examples, face, hand, arm and skirt depictions. The most striking aspect of these gravestones, which are generally known to have been made for noble or well-off people, is that almost all of the male graves are covered with a papak-shaped head form, in order to emphasize the Karapapak identity. As a result of the research, it has been revealed that the tradition of making gravestones in the form of human statues, which began in Central Asia, was continued by the Karapapak Turks until recent times.

 Within the scope of the study, the villages and district centers of Karapapak Terekeme Turks located in Ardahan, Kars, Kayseri and Sivas provinces were visited and examples of tombstones made by Karapapak Turks and resembling Central Asian stone sculptures were examined in these settlements. Through the tombstones examined in these provinces, it was discussed how a Sunni Turkish tribe called Karapapak, Terekeme or Papakli adopted the tombstone making traditions seen in Huns, Gokturks and other Turks. The tombstones made by Karapapak Turks at the end of the 19th century and in the 20th century will show us that the tradition of making tombstones in the form of human statues continued afterwards. These abstract human statue tombstones were made by a Sunni Turkish tribe in Anatolia and are examples that have close similarities with Central Asian stone sculptures with their head, neck, shoulder, abdomen and in some examples, face, hand, arm and skirt depictions. The most striking aspect of these gravestones, which are generally known to have been made for noble or well-off people, is that almost all of the male graves are covered with a papak-shaped head form, in order to emphasize the Karapapak identity. As a result of the research, it has been revealed that the tradition of making gravestones in the form of human statues, which began in Central Asia, was continued by the Karapapak Turks until recent times.

 Within the scope of the study, the villages and district centers of Karapapak Terekeme Turks located in Ardahan, Kars, Kayseri and Sivas provinces were visited and examples of tombstones made by Karapapak Turks and resembling Central Asian stone sculptures were examined in these settlements. Through the tombstones examined in these provinces, it was discussed how a Sunni Turkish tribe called Karapapak, Terekeme or Papakli adopted the tombstone making traditions seen in Huns, Gokturks and other Turks. The tombstones made by Karapapak Turks at the end of the 19th century and in the 20th century will show us that the tradition of making tombstones in the form of human statues continued afterwards. These abstract human statue tombstones were made by a Sunni Turkish tribe in Anatolia and are examples that have close similarities with Central Asian stone sculptures with their head, neck, shoulder, abdomen and in some examples, face, hand, arm and skirt depictions. The most striking aspect of these gravestones, which are generally known to have been made for noble or well-off people, is that almost all of the male graves are covered with a papak-shaped head form, in order to emphasize the Karapapak identity. As a result of the research, it has been revealed that the tradition of making gravestones in the form of human statues, which began in Central Asia, was continued by the Karapapak Turks until recent times.

 Çalışma kapsamında, Ardahan, Kars, Kayseri ve Sivas illerinde bulunan Karapapak Terekeme Türklerine ait köy ve ilçe merkezlerine gidilerek bu yerleşim merkezlerinde, Karapapak Türkleri tarafından yapılan ve Orta Asya taş heykellerine benzeyen mezar taşı örnekleri incelenmiştir. Bu illerde incelenen mezar taşları üzerinden Karapapak, Terekeme ya da Papaklı isimleriyle ifade edilen Sünni bir Türk boyunun Hun, Göktürk ve diğer Türklerde görülen mezar taşı yapma geleneklerine nasıl sahip çıktıkları ele alınmıştır. Karapapak Türkleri tarafından, XIX. yüzyılın sonu ile XX. yüzyılda yapılmış mezar taşları, bize insan heykeli formlu mezar taşı yapma geleneğinin geç tarihlere kadar devam ettirildiğini gösterecektir. Bu soyut insan heykeli formlu mezar taşları, Anadoluda Sünni bir Türk boyu tarafından yapılmış mezar taşları olup baş, boyun, omuz, karın ve kimi örneklerde ise yüz, el, kol, etek betimlemesiyle Orta Asya taş heykelleriyle yakın benzerlikleri bulunan örneklerdir. Genellikle soylu veya durumu iyi kişiler için yapıldığı öğrenilen bu mezar taşlarının en dikkat çekici yanı, erkek mezarlarının neredeyse tamamının papak şeklindeki başlık formuyla ele alınarak Karapapak kimliğinin vurgulanmak istenmesidir. Yapılan araştırma sonucunda, Orta Asyada başlayan insan heykeli formlu mezar taşı yapma geleneğinin Karapapak Türkleri tarafından yakın tarihlere kadar devam ettirildiği ortaya çıkarılmıştır.

Article Details

The Relationship Between Karapapak Turks Gravestones with Central Asia Gravestone

Authors:

Ulaş Kılıç

Publisher:

Ege University

Main Topics:

İslam Öncesi Türk Tarihi | Türk Halkları ve Toplulukları | Türk Kültür Tarihi

Journal:

Türk Dünyası İncelemeleri Dergisi Vol.24 Issue 2, pp.507-524

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

12/2024

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001333186

pISSN:

1301-2045

Turkish Gravestones

Karapapak

Central Asia

Stone Father

Stone GrannyTürk Mezar Taşları

Karapapak

Orta Asya

Taş Baba

Taş Nine

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Ulaş Kılıç

Publisher: Ege University

Main Topics: İslam Öncesi Türk Tarihi | Türk Halkları ve Toplulukları | Türk Kültür Tarihi

Journal: Türk Dünyası İncelemeleri Dergisi Vol.24 Issue 2, pp.507-524

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 12/2024

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001333186

pISSN: 1301-2045

Issues

Authors:

Ulaş Kılıç

Publisher:

Ege University

Main Topics:

İslam Öncesi Türk Tarihi | Türk Halkları ve Toplulukları | Türk Kültür Tarihi

Journal:

Türk Dünyası İncelemeleri Dergisi Vol.24 Issue 2, pp.507-524

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

12/2024

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001333186

pISSN:

1301-2045