- Archaeology, Heritage Conservation, Anatolian Archaeology, Cultural Heritage Conservation, Archaeology and politics, Architectural History, and 40 moreCultural Policy, Cultures and heritage tourism, History of Archaeology, Urban archaeology, Classical Archaeology, Near Eastern Archaeology, Urban archaeology and urban design, Cultural Heritage Management, Turkish Culture, Ottoman History, Nationalism And State Building, Mediterranean Studies, Ottoman Archaeology, Anastylosis, Prehistoric Archaeology, Conservation of earthen architecture, Conservation, Preservation and Site Management of Archaeological Sites, ICAANE, Docomomo, Modern Architecture, History and Theory of Modern Architecture, History and Theory of Modern Architecture, Restoration and Heritage Conservation, Archaeological Conservation, Anatolian Archaeology (Archaeology), Cultural Heritage, Community Archaeology, Ancient Near East (Archaeology), Hellenistic and Roman Asia Minor, Roman Archaeology, World Cultural Heritage, Intangible Cultural Heritage (Culture), Museum Studies, UNESCO world heritage, Archaeological Theory, Ethics, Conservation, Social Archaeology, Cultural Studies, Architecture, and Historyedit
- PhD in Cultural Heritage Conservation, Conservation Architect, Heritage Consultant I have been involved in numerous ... morePhD in Cultural Heritage Conservation, Conservation Architect, Heritage Consultant
I have been involved in numerous projects on archaeological sites, historic buildings and conservation areas, including World Heritage Sites, in Turkey. Three of these projects received the Europa Nostra Award – EU Prize for Cultural Heritage (Our Common Cultural Heritage Project, Sarıca Church Project and Milet Ilyas Bey Project).
My main areas of expertise and interest relate to the conservation of archaeological sites, foreign involvement in and contribution to archaeology and heritage conservation in Turkey , management planning, public engagement in heritage projects, and assessing the impacts of public outreach. I also have a keen interest in the history and heritage of the Turkish seaside and leisure architecture during the early Republic era.
Since 1998, I have worked in a variety of roles for a number of organizations, including KA-BA Ltd, The Chamber of Architects of Turkey and the Middle East Technical University, and for a broad range of clients, especially the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkey, local authorities, and excavation directorates.
I am currently based in the UK and work as a heritage consultant.
I am a member of several Turkish and international heritage organisations, including ICOMOS Turkey and ICAHM, and regularly participate in conferences and archaeological fieldwork.edit
Inclusiveness and community-based conservation are increasingly being recognized as intrinsic to archaeology and heritage conservation while local involvement in the conservation and monitoring of archaeological sites is considered to... more
Inclusiveness and community-based conservation are increasingly being recognized as intrinsic to archaeology and heritage conservation while local involvement in the conservation and monitoring of archaeological sites is considered to have great potential in generating a sense of ownership in local communities. In Turkey, there are growing efforts to engage communities in the conservation of archaeological sites, which is more commonly accomplished through public meetings during long-term archaeological excavations. More recently, however, there has been a visible move towards confidence building, empowerment and regional development as part of a heritage management approach.
In this context, this paper aims to explore community-related projects that take place during long-term archaeological excavations, and identify problems and opportunities for conservation and discuss the impact of such projects on site conservation. This will be achieved by examining projects carried out at a number of long-term foreign-run excavations, including Çatalhöyük, Kaman-Kalehöyük, Gordion and Sardis, Hattusha, and Pergamon.
Looking at the types of community projects, people who carry out these projects, funding sources, and their impacts, this paper will also discuss the environment and dynamics of engaging with a ‘foreign’ community and how different national archaeological traditions reflect themselves in their engagement with communities in Turkey, particularly at a time of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s emerging interest in regulating community-related projects during excavations.
In this context, this paper aims to explore community-related projects that take place during long-term archaeological excavations, and identify problems and opportunities for conservation and discuss the impact of such projects on site conservation. This will be achieved by examining projects carried out at a number of long-term foreign-run excavations, including Çatalhöyük, Kaman-Kalehöyük, Gordion and Sardis, Hattusha, and Pergamon.
Looking at the types of community projects, people who carry out these projects, funding sources, and their impacts, this paper will also discuss the environment and dynamics of engaging with a ‘foreign’ community and how different national archaeological traditions reflect themselves in their engagement with communities in Turkey, particularly at a time of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s emerging interest in regulating community-related projects during excavations.
Research Interests:
Çaltılar Höyük, located to the south of Çaltılar Village about 80km northeast of Fethiye, is a long-lived settlement with main phases of occupation dating from the Late Chalcolithic to the Archaic period, and has been the subject of an... more
Çaltılar Höyük, located to the south of Çaltılar Village about 80km northeast of Fethiye, is a long-lived settlement with main phases of occupation dating from the Late Chalcolithic to the Archaic period, and has been the subject of an archaeological survey project by the universities of Liverpool (UK), Bristol (UK) and Uludağ (TR) in 2008-14. A study carried out during this project and recent research as part of a management planning process involving the höyük are revealing the different relations between the höyük and the villagers, as well as connections of this community with various other ‘places’ in the vicinity, which are also significant to the communities’ collective memory and sense of belonging. In this respect, this paper aims to explore the various ways in which the villagers interact with the höyük and these other places, the inter-connectedness of these sites in the minds of the community, and how these places assumed different roles for the community over time – all of which are crucial in the decision-making process for the conservation of archaeological/cultural heritage.
Research Interests:
Approximately 200 excavations and 100 surveys take place in Turkey every year. The archaeological teams and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism both share information digitally. The proceedings of the Annual Excavation Results Meeting,... more
Approximately 200 excavations and 100 surveys take place in Turkey every year. The archaeological teams and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism both share information digitally. The proceedings of the Annual Excavation Results Meeting, held continuously since 1979, are readily available, as are the lists of all the archaeological excavations and field surveys permitted since 2006, grouped annually.
For projects, websites are becoming more common in disseminating information to the public. The teams use them to share newsletters, scientific excavation reports, sometimes databases, photos, updates about projects, etc. Some use blogs to keep followers/visitors up-to-date during excavation seasons. However, interactivity or engagement does not appear to be a key priority. And, surprisingly, some of the longer-running projects have neither websites, nor any digital means of communication or information-sharing. Where these do exist, as in the case of some foreign-run archaeological excavations, it may be that the information is not bilingual – i.e. there is no Turkish version.
But are these means and levels of communication sufficient to generate interest in these archaeological sites? Is simply ‘publishing information on websites’ enough for hands-on communicative archaeology? Should there be other, digital means through which local people can use the data being generated? How can the requirement for ‘public outreach’ be made real and more than simply an exercise in ticking boxes?
For projects, websites are becoming more common in disseminating information to the public. The teams use them to share newsletters, scientific excavation reports, sometimes databases, photos, updates about projects, etc. Some use blogs to keep followers/visitors up-to-date during excavation seasons. However, interactivity or engagement does not appear to be a key priority. And, surprisingly, some of the longer-running projects have neither websites, nor any digital means of communication or information-sharing. Where these do exist, as in the case of some foreign-run archaeological excavations, it may be that the information is not bilingual – i.e. there is no Turkish version.
But are these means and levels of communication sufficient to generate interest in these archaeological sites? Is simply ‘publishing information on websites’ enough for hands-on communicative archaeology? Should there be other, digital means through which local people can use the data being generated? How can the requirement for ‘public outreach’ be made real and more than simply an exercise in ticking boxes?
Research Interests:
Archaeological research carried out by foreign teams (i.e. projects led by non-Turkish institutions) is an integral part of archaeology and conservation in Turkey. Understanding their role in the conservation of archaeological sites in... more
Archaeological research carried out by foreign teams (i.e. projects led by non-Turkish institutions) is an integral part of archaeology and conservation in Turkey. Understanding their role in the conservation of archaeological sites in Turkey and determining their impacts on and contributions to heritage conservation in Turkey are crucial for the development of enhanced strategies. This paper aims to explore heritage conservation approaches of foreign archaeological teams working in Turkey by identifying aspects such as their architectural and site-scale conservation interventions, the problems they encounter, and public outreach activities. Focusing on the Aegean and Mediterranean regions of Turkey, the paper examines conservation and management planning practices at foreign-run excavations and correlates the findings with the wider picture of recent changes in cultural policies in Turkey. The study draws on desk-based literature research, on-site observations, and discussions with directors of relevant archaeological excavations. The main desk-based resource is the proceedings of the annual “Kazı Sonuçları Toplantısı” (Excavation Results Meeting). Site observations focus on aspects such as interpretation, presentation and public access, while the discussions strive to determine other site-specific conditions, current conservation issues, and long-term plans for the future of the sites.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Researched by an international multi-disciplinary team, Çaltılar Höyük and its environs in the highlands of Fethiye, Muğla, are testament to millennia of continuous habitation. The höyük is located to the south of its namesake village... more
Researched by an international multi-disciplinary team, Çaltılar Höyük and its environs in the highlands of Fethiye, Muğla, are testament to millennia of continuous habitation. The höyük is located to the south of its namesake village made up of a yörük community that previously lived further to the north, on the slopes of Çaylaklı Tepe. Today this tangible cultural landscape is increasingly shaped by modern practices of seasonal migration, an abundance of greenhouses creating new livelihoods, and a seemingly uncontrollable proliferation of quarrying. Meanwhile, an intangible tradition of local stories persist, linking the höyük, a cave, and a spring in the village – collective memories that encourage a sense of belonging. Faced with these contested economic and cultural values this presentation aims to examine the site in its context and discuss the dilemmas and challenges for its holistic management.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
From the book: ʺThe history of Garstang’s most iconic discovery in Turkey—the carved stone reliefs of the palace gateway at Sakçagözü—is examined by B. Nilgün Öz in an article that follows them from initial discovery to transport,... more
From the book: ʺThe history of Garstang’s most iconic discovery in Turkey—the carved stone reliefs of the palace gateway at Sakçagözü—is examined by B. Nilgün Öz in an article that follows them from initial discovery to transport, restoration, and display in the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara.ʺ
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Foreign-run excavations are a significant component of archaeological research in Turkey, however, conservation work carried out at these excavations has not been examined in a holistic manner. This research investigates archaeological... more
Foreign-run excavations are a significant component of archaeological research in Turkey, however, conservation work carried out at these excavations has not been examined in a holistic manner. This research investigates archaeological conservation at foreign-run excavations to identify the scale and nature of differing contributions, and to determine changing approaches, issues impacting conservation practices, as well as possible catalysts, influences and driving forces. The thematic scope, ‘conservation of archaeological sites’ and related practices, includes technical, socio-political and economic perspectives in a way that reflects developing trends in heritage conservation. The temporal scope of this research concentrates on the period 1979-2014. The sources used are previously published literature, interviews with directors, conservation professionals and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, as well as site observations. A representative sample of 19 foreign-run excavations was selected.
Research Interests:
This session brings together a thought-provoking set of case studies to explore the benefits of open data as a driver for empowerment in public archaeology in the UK and in European settings. In seeking to unpack debate in this context,... more
This session brings together a thought-provoking set of case studies to explore the benefits of open data as a driver for empowerment in public archaeology in the UK and in European settings. In seeking to unpack debate in this context, areas for examination will focus on access and communication of linked data; associated tools for interrogation, analysis and sharing; and crowd sourcing. Key themes will include how academics, heritage professionals and citizens can come together as a persuasive force to create new perspectives on, and relationships with, archaeological data; the formulation of groups to influence decision makers and take ownership of data; opportunities for interdisciplinary co-design and knowledge exchange with universities, creative industries and media professionals; and how to measure impact and effectiveness in an ever-changing digital environment.
Contributions are sought from academics, heritage and media professionals and industry (established, early career and graduate students) to collectively address these and related questions.
Interested presenters should submit proposals for 20-minute-long papers online through the EAA website: http://eaaglasgow2015.com/call-for-papers/
The language of the session is English.
The deadline for online submissions is 16 February 2015.
Contributions are sought from academics, heritage and media professionals and industry (established, early career and graduate students) to collectively address these and related questions.
Interested presenters should submit proposals for 20-minute-long papers online through the EAA website: http://eaaglasgow2015.com/call-for-papers/
The language of the session is English.
The deadline for online submissions is 16 February 2015.
Research Interests:
Foreign-run excavations are a significant component of archaeological research in Turkey, however, conservation work carried out at these excavations has never been examined holistically. B. Nilgün Öz investigates archaeological... more
Foreign-run excavations are a significant component of archaeological research in Turkey, however, conservation work carried out at these excavations has never been examined holistically. B. Nilgün Öz investigates archaeological conservation at foreign-run excavations at 19 sites across Turkey to identify the scale and nature of differing contributions, determining changing approaches and issues impacting conservation practices, as well as possible catalysts, influences and driving forces. Through a systematic appraisal of the variety of conservation work between 1979 and 2014, this research contributes to a wider understanding of the dynamics of archaeological heritage management and archaeological conservation as it is practiced in Turkey at foreign-run projects. This thought-provoking and timely book will be a valuable resource to students and scholars of archaeology, architecture, conservation, heritage and history.