Organized by the Departments of Archaeology and Art History at Karabük University, the 6th Archaeology and Art History Days Workshop was held on May 8, 2025, at the Şehit Fırat Yılmaz Çakıroğlu Conference Hall of the Faculty of Letters. With its rich scientific content, the workshop brought together academics and students, creating a productive environment for the presentation of current research in the fields of archaeology and art history.
The opening speech of the event was delivered by one of Turkey’s leading archaeologists, Prof. Dr. Abdüsselam Uluçam. The event was also attended by Prof. Dr. Muhittin Kapanşahin, Dean of the Faculty of Letters at Karabük University, Mr. İbrahim Şahin, Karabük Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism, and Mr. Erdal Acar, Director of the Safranbolu Museum.
The workshop consisted of three sessions, during which 14 scholars presented their latest research. At the end of each session, certificates of appreciation were presented to the speakers.The first session, chaired by Prof. Dr. Abdüsselam Uluçam, began with a presentation by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mevlüt Eliüşük on the 2024 excavations at Pompeiopolis. Following that, Prof. Dr. Lütfiye Göktaş Kaya discussed cultural assets identified through surface surveys conducted in Karabük and its districts. Dr. Fatma Kızılyalçın Oyarçin and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kasım Oyarçin jointly presented their findings from the 2024 excavation and landscape studies at Asarkale. The session concluded with a presentation by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Bilir titled “The Secrets of the Lost Island Vardonisi: Istanbul’s Deep Heritage.”
The second session was moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ersin Çelikbaş. In this session, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ömür D. Çakmaklı explored whether Paphlagonia’s Hadrianopolis functioned as a glass-processing center during the Eastern Roman period. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tolga Uzun presented 19th-century Qajar lacquer bookbindings. Dr. Güzin Bilir shared recent archaeological findings from the Akheron necropolis in Herakleia Pontika. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aysun Tuna discussed “Archaeological Parks as a Sustainable Management Strategy for Archaeological Sites: The Case of Arslantepe Mound.” The session ended with a talk by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bülent Oral on the representation of Atatürk in monumental sculptures in Ankara during the centenary of the Republic.
The third and final session, chaired by Prof. Dr. Lütfiye Göktaş Kaya, opened with a presentation by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ersin Çelikbaş on the results of the 2024 Hadrianopolis excavations. This was followed by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aysel Nazlı Soykan’s analysis of the theme of wheel torture in Byzantine iconography. Dr. Yaşar Serkal Yıldırım provided an overview of archaeological surface surveys conducted in Karabük Province in 2024. The workshop concluded with a presentation by Dr. Handan Yerli on the fountains commissioned by Pertevniyal Valide Sultan.
The event provided a valuable platform for the discussion of regional and interdisciplinary research on cultural heritage. It also offered a significant opportunity for students and early-career researchers to engage with current academic discourse and establish professional connections. Karabük University continues to play a leading role in supporting and promoting cultural heritage studies through such initiatives.
