RİZE – İKİZDERE AND ÇAMLIHEMŞİN SURVEYS

Rize, strategically situated in the eastern Black Sea region, has historically served as a crossroads for numerous civilizations and cultures. Despite the region's significance, systematic historical and archaeological research began only in the 1990s. These early studies, which spanned several research seasons, were instrumental in uncovering Rize's rich historical heritage. To further explore this heritage and shed light on its history and archaeology, surveys have been conducted since 2022 in the İkizdere, Çamlıhemşin, and Hemşin districts of Rize Province, authorized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. This article provides a comprehensive assessment of the findings from the 2023 surveys in the İkizdere and Çamlıhemşin districts. In İkizdere, research encompassed various neighborhoods, including Çağrankaya, Çarşı, Gündoğdu, Güney, Kirazlı, Yeşilyurt, and Zafer, as well as villages and highlands such as Ayvalık, Bayır, Cevizlik, Demirkapı, Güneyce, Gürdere, Ihlamur, Ilıcaköy, Şimşirli, Tulumpınar, Yağcılar, and Yeralma. In Çamlıhemşin, surveys were carried out in the villages of Sıraköy, Ortaklar, Yazlık, Mollaveyis (Ülkü), Şenköy, Meydan, Şenyuva, Yolkıyı, Yaylaköy, and Ortan, along with their associated highland areas. This research led to the identification of numerous historically significant sites, including the Çikares Settlement, Tekneler Settlement, Yumurtadağ Obsidian Centre, Kale-i Bala, Kale-i Zir, Güneyce Bridge, Andulli Bridge, Şebek Bridge, Trovit Plateau Stone Road, Ortanköy (Goboş) Bridge, Çilanç Bridge, Şenyuva (Çinçiva) Bridge, Yağcılar Historical Houses, Başyayla Rock Depictions, Numanoğlu Mansion and its tamgas, Çolağan Locality Wall Depictions, Karmik Plateau Wall Depictions, Trovit Plateau Wall Depictions, Kozizoğlu Mansion and Wall Depictions, Mollanç Behlül Mansion and Wall Depictions, Kurdoğlu Mansion and Wall Depictions, Meydan Village Wall Depictions, Güneyce Hacı Sheikh Mosque, Şimşirli Village Middle Neighborhood Mosque, Yağcılar Village Konak Mosque, Kurusaha Mosque, and Şenköy Mosque.