One Saw, One Hammer, One Hundred Boards, One Master: Wooden Granaries in the Villages of Sındırgı
Öz
Sındırgı, which has favorable soils in terms of agriculture, has been the scene of the settlement movements of Yoruks since the 15th century. With the settlement of the Yoruks, the construction of add-on auxiliary units for dwellings as the requirements of a new social order based on agriculture led to the emergence of different and new local structures in rural and mountainous regions. The term “granary” defines the place where vegetables, fruits, grains, staple foods and valuables are stored.There are granary forms that arise from the need in different cultures and are shaped by using materials according to the characteristics of the geography where they are located. Sındırgı granaries are local architectural elements made of wooden material using local techniques. While the richness of the region in terms of forests provides ease of material in the construction of granaries, the fact that they are built without the use of nails points to traditional methods based on practicality and economy. These unique structures have been widely used throughout history in Anatolia and different geographies of the world.
In this study, 25 villages of Sındırgı were examined. The fact that the granaries are made of pine wood without the use of nails in terms of material and technique not only ensures their longevity but also emphasizes the authenticity of the subject. These local structures, which continue to function until today by transferring traditional knowledge from generation to generation, bear the traces of cultural memory. Factors such as the geographical location of the villages in Sındırgı district, their distance from the center, family structure, agricultural production activities have caused differences in the structural characteristics of the granaries. While the size of granaries increases in mountain villages and crowded families where agricultural production is intensive, small-sized granaries are numerically superior in villages close to the center. The geography of the region and the different needs of the households have led to different typologies and examples of evli ambar (granaries resambling houses) yarım ambar (half granaries) and kabak ambar (granaries wirh simple architectural style) have emerged. The first reason for the typological shaping of warehouses and their positioning in the region is geographical landforms. In villages where access to the market was difficult due to the rugged terrain, the need to store and protect the product obtained was greater.
The wooden grain barns in Sındırgı offer a valuable field of study not only for the preservation of rural architectural heritage but also from the perspective of rural sociology. These structures provide insight into the dynamics of rural society in many ways, from production-consumption relationships to practices of social solidarity, and from the preservation of cultural memory to the construction of local identity. In this context, documenting and preserving these barns is important not only from an architectural history perspective but also contributes to current debates in rural sociology. The fact that no academic research has been conducted to date on the wooden grain barns commonly found in the region, coupled with the risk of these structures disappearing over time, makes the subject scientifically relevant and important. This study reveals, for the first time, the place of wooden barns in the Sındırgı region within Turkish cultural life, their functional and social importance, and their artistic value. The research is significant not only in terms of documenting these structures but also in terms of its unique contribution to the literature in the fields of rural architecture, cultural heritage, and rural sociology.
Anahtar Kelimeler
Bir Testere Bir Çekiç Yüz Tahta Bir Usta: Sındırgı Köylerindeki Ahşap Tahıl Ambarları
Öz
Tarım açısından elverişli topraklara sahip olan Sındırgı 15. yüzyıldan itibaren Yörüklerin yoğun bir şekilde iskân hareketlerine sahne olmuştur. Yörüklerin yerleşik hayata geçmesiyle birlikte tarıma dayalı yeni bir toplum düzeninin gerekleri olarak konutlar için eklenti yardımcı birimler inşa etmeleri, kırsal ve dağlık bölgelerde farklı ve yeni yerel yapıların ortaya çıkmasını sağlamıştır. Bunlardan biri olan tahıl ambarları ihtiyaç olan ürünlerin saklanması ve korunması amacıyla yapılmış ve bölgenin tarımsal aktivitelerinin tanıkları olarak günümüze kadar da varlığını devam ettirmiştir. Bölgenin orman bakımından zenginliği ambarların yapımında malzeme kolaylığı sağlarken çivi kullanılmadan yapılmaları pratik eylemlere ve ekonomiye dayalı geleneksel yöntemlere işaret eder. Bu makale Sındırgı çevresindeki 25 köyde tespit edilen ahşap tahıl ambarlarını konu edinmektedir. Ambarların plan tipleri, inşaat süreçleri, malzeme ve teknik yönleri, incelenerek bölgenin yerel ahşap mimarlık unsurlarının yanı sıra kırsal peyzaj içerisindeki yerleri ortaya konmuştur. Sındırgı’ya bağlı köylerde yer alan ahşap ambarlar, çoğunlukla bölgenin kırsal ve dağlık bölümlerinde bulunur. Ovaya kurulan ilçe merkezinden, doğu ve kuzeydoğu taraflarına gidildikçe engebe ve yükselti artmaktadır. Bu durum, yani topografya merkeze yakın köylerde bulunan ambarlar ile dağ köyleri arasında farklılık oluşmasına neden olmuş ve farklı tipler ortaya çıkmıştır. Bu çalışma ile bölgenin kırsal kültür envanteri içerisinde önemli bir yer teşkil eden ambarların belgelenerek literatüre dahil edilmesi ve yapılacak akademik çalışmaları da geliştirmesi hedeflenmektedir.
Anahtar Kelimeler
