KARAHAYIT’TAN NAR MOTİFİ BETİMLİ BRONZ KEMER TOKASI
BRONZE BELT BUCKLE WITH A DEPICTION OF POMEGRANATE MOTIF FROM KARAHAYIT

Summary/Abstract: This study will analyze a belt buckle depicting a pomegranate form discovered in the open-air sacred site of the Karahayıt region. The pomegranate serves as a motif in several forms of Islamic art, according to its designation as the fruit of paradise in the Quran. It is linked to reproduction and fertility. This region was discovered through surveys focused on the ancient city of Tisna and its adjacent areas within the Aliağa district of İzmir province. Field research indicated that the Güzelhisar Valley, encompassing the Karahayıt region, has been occupied by Turkish populations since the 14th century. Evidence of the Turkish and Islamic eras is observable in the region through minor artifacts and architectural features, including mosques, tombs, and residences. Ceramics and metal artifacts are especially noteworthy. The bronze belt buckle featuring a pomegranate form is notable among the previously described discoveries. It was likely utilized with leather or textile material and secured at the waist. A concise overview of the pomegranate motif's importance in Turkish-Islamic thought and art is presented. While a direct comparable example has not been identified in the literature, an effort is undertaken to date the artifact based on analogous representations and other pieces of art. The motif's occurrence on a belt buckle and its appearance in Karahavit, a historically sacred site, are believed indicative of the site's enduring sanctity. The other findings from the site indicate that artwork may originate from the 18th to 19th century.

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