Tipografi Yoluyla Kültürel Mirasın Dijitalleştirilmesi: Bodrum Kalesi’ndeki Rodos Şövalyeleri Yazıtları Örneği

Öz

Bu makale, Bodrum Kalesi’nde Rodos Şövalyeleri dönemine ait yazıtların tipografik bir bakış açısıyla belgelenmesini ve dijital ortama aktarılmasını konu almaktadır. Epigrafik yazıtlar yalnızca tarihsel belgeler değil, aynı zamanda tipografik estetik taşıyan görsel formlar olarak ele alınmıştır. Araştırma, tasarım araştırması (Research by Design) yaklaşımıyla yürütülmüş; yazıtların fotoğrafik belgelenmesi, harf varyasyonlarının analiz edilmesi, vektörel çizimle yeniden üretilmesi ve açık kaynak bir yazı karakteri tasarımına dönüştürülmesi süreçlerini kapsamıştır. Bulgular, yazıtların geometrik yapısı, sembolik işaretleri ve gotik–rune benzeri estetiğinin çağdaş tipografi normlarına uyarlanabileceğini göstermektedir. Bu doğrultuda geliştirilen “Rhodes Font”, tarihî sadakati korurken okunurluk ve erişilebilirlik ilkelerine uyum sağlayan çağdaş bir dijital yazı karakteri olarak önerilmektedir. Çalışma, tipografi araştırmaları ile kültürel mirasın korunması arasında disiplinlerarası bir köprü kurmakta ve gelecekte çok dilli, üç boyutlu ve artırılmış gerçeklik destekli uygulamalar için bir model sunmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Tipografi
• Kültürel Miras
• Epigrafi
• Dijital Yazı Tasarımı
• Bodrum Kalesi

Digitizing Cultural Heritage Through Typography: The Case of the Knights Hospitaller Inscriptions at Bodrum Castle

Öz

This article examines the documentation and digitization of inscriptions from the Knights Hospitaller period at Bodrum Castle through a typographic perspective. The epigraphic inscriptions are considered not only as historical records but also as visual forms carrying typographic aesthetics. The research was conducted using a Research by Design approach, encompassing the processes of photographic documentation of the inscriptions, analysis of letterform variations, reproduction through vector drawing, and transformation into an open-source typeface design. Findings demonstrate that the geometric structure, symbolic signs, and Gothic–rune-like aesthetic of the inscriptions can be adapted to contemporary typographic norms. Accordingly, the “Rhodes Font” developed within this study is proposed as a contemporary digital typeface that preserves historical fidelity while adhering to the principles of legibility and accessibility. The study establishes an interdisciplinary bridge between typographic research and cultural heritage preservation, offering a model for future multilingual, three-dimensional, and augmented-reality-supported applications.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Typography
• Cultural Heritage
• Epigraphy
• Digital Font Design
• Bodrum Castle

Kaynakça

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38. Figure 8. Digitization process of the “Rhodes Script” font Source: Ünal Gerdan, S. (2025). Rhodes Script font design process [Author’s own photographs].
39. Figure 9. Rhodes Script Source: Ünal Gerdan, S. (2025). Rhodes Script designed in Adobe Illustrator [Author’s own design].
40. Figure 10. The Letter A Source: Ünal Gerdan, S. (2025). Design of the letter A in Rhodes Script [Author’s own design].
41. Figure 11. The Letter M Source: Ünal Gerdan, S. (2025). Design of the letter M in Rhodes Script [Author’s own design].
42. Figure 12. The Letter S Source: Ünal Gerdan, S. (2025). Design of the letter S in Rhodes Script [Author’s own design].
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