OSMANLI DÖNEMİ BENTDERESİ (BOĞAZ-BAYIRLI) MEZAR TAŞLARI
BENTDERESI OF THE OTTOMAN PERIOD (BOĞAZ-BAYIRLI) GRAVESTONES

Summary/Abstract: This study, conducted with the permission of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism as part of a surface survey on the Aydınoğulları and Ottoman periods in the Bozdağ Highlands, documents eight Ottoman-period graves in the Bentderesi (Boğaz-Bayırlı) Cemetery, Gölcük Plateau, Ödemiş District, İzmir Province. Despite their limited number, these graves constitute rare surviving examples of the Ottoman funerary tradition. The gravestones, dated between H.1312/A.D. 1894–95 and H.1341/A.D. 1921–22, were analyzed in terms of material, form, technique, and decoration to determine their cultural, historical, and artistic significance. Five of the stones belong to male burials and three to female ones, all bearing inscriptions on their front faces. As representatives of the Late Ottoman funerary tradition, these monuments are increasingly threatened by natural and anthropogenic factors. Their documentation and preservation are crucial for safeguarding cultural heritage and for understanding the beliefs, traditions, and aesthetic values of their period.

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