A Byzantine Church Discovered in the Village of Ağlasun Burdur : Some More Light on Dark Age Pisidia

Abstract

Research1 for this article started with the identification of a number of limestone building blocks by members of the Sagalassos Archaeological Research Project in the staircase and east wall of a house in the village of Ağlasun in Burdur province belonging to Hasan Yasan, one of the workmen involved in the excavations and restorations at nearby Sagalassos. These stones were identified as elements of an altar platform bema and chancel barrier templon of a Byzantine church. According to the house owner, these blocks originated from one of his fields located on a gentle slope in the northeast part of Sakaraca Mahallesi, at a location known as Gavur Yıkığı or “Infidel’s Ruin” Fig. 1 . This is a locally known source of building material. During the construction of the house many stones were allegedly brought from there

Burdur-Ağlasun’da Keşfedilen Bizans Kilisesi: Pisidia’nın Karanlık Çağı’na Biraz Daha Işık

Abstract

Burdur İli’ne bağlı Ağlasun İlçesi’nde bir evin duvarında devşirme olarak kullanılan kireçtaşı mimari blokların aslında 6.-7. yy.’a tarihlenebilecek bir Bizans kilisesine ait altarın alt platformu ve templon düzenlemesine ait olduğu anlaşılmıştır. Söz konusu unsurların Gavur Yıkığı Mevkii’nde bir tarlada ele geçtiği bildirilmiştir. Bugün yüzeyde hiçbir mimari elemanın görülmediği alanda sürekli tarımsal etkinlikten dolayı mimari pişmiş toprak, harç ve çanak-çömlek parçaları etrafa dağılmış durumdadır ve moloz taşlar, tuğla ve kiremit parçaları ile kesme taş bloklar tarlanın sınırı boyunca öbek halinde yığılmıştır. Bu keşif ile Ağlasun’da ilk kez bir kilisenin yerini saptamak mümkün olmuştur. Üstelik, yüzeydeki malzemenin geniş bir alana dağılımı tek başına bir kiliseden ziyade etrafında bir yerleşmenin varlığına işaret etmektedir. Bu tür bir örenin araştırılması, yörenin genelde ve özellikle Bizans Dönemi yerleşme tarihi hakkındaki bilgimize katkıda bulunacaktır.

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