Material Culture from the Byzantıne to the Turkish Era: Akmanastır (St. Chariton Monastery) Located Between Sille and Konya

Year 2024, Volume: 33 Issue: 1, 73 - 111, 22.08.2024

Nergis Ataç

https://doi.org/10.29135/std.1403623

Abstract

This research explores the historical and architectural significance of Akmanastır, located at the base of Mount Gevale (Mount Takkeli; Mount Philippus), an active fortress during the Byzantine and Seljuk periods. Akmanastır, also known as St. Chariton Monastery, has been the subject of interest and study for scholars and visitors alike. In the early twentieth century, visitors to the monastery observed and documented the celebration of St. Chariton’s Feast, and provided brief descriptions of the religious structures on the site. Publications from this time also mentioned a variety of names and quantities of these structures, along with transcribed inscriptions. Furthermore, a mosque situated within the monastery is intricately linked to Mevlana, as delineated in Eflâkî’s accounts. While the scholarly consensus aligns with the identification of Eflatun Monastery with Akmanastır, the chronological attribution and developmental sequences of distinct architectural components depend on different temporal frameworks. The monastery’s strategic proximity to the city center and dense Christian population in Sille contributed to the enduring importance of Akmanastır over the centuries. Despite continuing damage from natural and human causes in the last century, the monastery, now repurposed as Military Barracks, remains a valuable archaeological source, bridging gaps in written references. The monastery incorporates both Christian and Islamic places of worship, reflecting its historical role as a meeting point for diverse communities. Seljuk sources attest to the monastery’s role as a center for intellectual exchange, where individuals from various backgrounds were engaged in knowledge-sharing and sought wisdom. Inscriptions on the monastery affirm the coexistence of Komnenoi, Ahis, Abrahams, and monks within its premises. Oral and written records indicate continuous donations from both Christians and Muslims for the monastery’s sustenance and the celebration of religious festivities. Ongoing renovations and alterations have adapted the monastery to changing circumstances. Notably, the catholicon, the initial phase of the chapel, and certain cells exhibit architectural features from the Middle Byzantine period, while the subsequent phases of the chapel, the masjid, and other cells are believed to be later additions. Rock carved decorations and some wall paintings within the monastery suggest a probable date to the Turkish period. The rock carved motifs in the monastery bear a closer resemblance to the Seljuk and Beylik periods rather than Byzantine examples. Ottoman-era structures and the monastery’s surrounding wall, identified through photographs and oral archives, no longer exist, leaving uncertainty about their original construction dates. Interactions in religion, belief, and art, as evidenced by Eflaki’s text, reveal a rich tapestry of mysticism and syncretism in multicultural civilizations. Instances such as Mevlana’s water and fire miracle in the Mevlevi tradition, and Chariton’s monastery rescue narrative and water miracle in Christianity showcase shared themes of spiritual salvation. The coexistence of a mosque, churches, and cells surrounding a sacred spring within the monastery substantiates claims of its role as a hub for both Christians and Muslims. Donations from diverse communities and pilgrims, along with the celebration of Chariton and Mary’s festivals, underscore Akmanastır’s role as a sacred center where Christians and Muslims converged. Overall, our research aimed to shed light on the enduring significance of Akmanastır as a religious site that bridged Christian and Islamic traditions.

Keywords

Akmanastır, St. Chariton, Konya, Sille, Byzantine Architecture, Turkish Islam Architecture, rock church

Bizans’tan Türk Dönemine Bir Maddi Kültür Örneği: Konya ile Sille Arasındaki Akmanastır (Khariton Manastırı)

Abstract

Konya’nın Sille mahallesinde, Takkeli Dağı’n eteklerinde yer alan Akmanastır günümüzde askeri alanda bulunmaktadır. 20. yüzyılın başlarında manastırı ziyaret eden seyyahlar, Aziz Khariton yortusunun burada kutlandığını bildirmişler ve manastır hakkında kısa tasvirler yapmışlardır. Manastırda farklı isimler ve farklı sayıda dini yapılar bildirilmiş, çeşitli kitabelerin transkripsiyonları hazırlanmıştır. Manastırda mescit de bulunmuş ve Eflâkî’de geçen Mevlâna ile ilişkilendirilmiştir. Eflâkî’deki Eflatun Manastırı’nın Akmanastır olduğu araştırmacıların çoğunluğu tarafından kabul görürken, farklı yapılarının tarihlendirilmesi ve evreleri çeşitli zaman dilimlerine dayandırılmıştır. Hangi yapıların duvar resimleri bulunduğu ve bunların türlerinin ne olduğu sorusu hala tartışılmaktadır. Konu hakkındaki bulgular, sınırlı olanaklardan ötürü ayrıntılı çalışılamamıştır. Çalışmamızda manastırın Hıristiyan ve İslam dini yapıları incelenmiş, sözlü ve yazılı arşivler taranmış, mimarisi büyük oranda laser scanner ile taranıp ortofotoları çıkarılmış, ayrıca fotoğraflanarak belgelenmiş, Bizans-Türk dönemi ilişkisi üzerinde durularak Orta Çağ Hıristiyan-Türk İslam özellikleri tartışılmıştır. Çalışmamızın sonucunda, Akmanastır’ın Bizans ve Türk dönemlerinde manastır işlevine devam ettiği, önemli dini bir merkez olduğu, mimarisinde onarımlar dışında yeni mekânlarında eklendiği ve süslendiği tespit edilmiştir.

Keywords

Akmanastır, Aziz Khariton, Konya, Sille, Bizans Mimarisi, Türk-İslam Mimarisi, kaya mimarisi, kaya kiliseleri

Thanks

GABAM

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