Çilesiz Village: Landscape and Gypsum Flora

Çilesiz Village can be understood through its historically described landscape and botanical sites on gypsum soil. When planning your hotel stay, it is helpful to distinguish between the village itself and the wider travel area. This can help you decide whether to focus your stay on Çilesiz itself or on destinations in İliç District.

Tepta and the Historic Landscape

A historical account identifies the Tepta hill with Çilesiz. From there, the Karasu branch of the Euphrates could be seen between low hills; later descriptions mention jagged rocks on both sides. Together, these details combine a view of the river from a hillside setting with a second motif defined by rocky terrain. For those interested in landscapes, this historical perspective provides a precise reference to the location.

Transport Information

A parliamentary record from 1997 notes that the roads from Çilesiz, Doruksaray, and Büyük Armutlu connect to the Erzincan–İliç highway. For travel today, check the current route.

The Wider Travel Area

In İliç District, the Karasu Nehri offers opportunities for water sports and rafting. This keeps the regional connection to the river distinct from the landscape and plant features of the village itself.

Gypsum Landscapes and Plant Records

The area between Çilesiz and Turgutlu is part of the gypsum landscapes whose flora was studied in İliç and Kemah districts. Fieldwork took place from 2014 to 2017, and the study was published in 2020. The Çilesiz village area and the cemetery were among the botanical collection sites. The cemetery is collection site 32.

At site 32, the Çilesiz cemetery, Bupleurum papillosum and Allium pseudoflavum were recorded on gypsum soil at an elevation of 1,258 meters. A. arabica and C. pycnocephalus subsp. albidus were recorded there on gypsum soil at 1,233 meters; A. arabica is classified as an Irano-Turanian floristic element. C. derderiifolia was recorded on gypsum soil at 1,258 meters. The collection years differ: Allium pseudoflavum and C. derderiifolia date from 2014, while A. arabica and C. pycnocephalus subsp. albidus date from 2015. For Eryngium campestre var. virens, site 31 at 1,117 meters and site 32 at 1,246 meters are listed.

The elevation figures for site 32 in these records range from 1,233 to 1,258 meters; the additional record of Eryngium campestre var. virens at site 31 is at 1,117 meters. Those interested in botany can compare the records by species, location, and elevation. For this species record, the sites are 129 meters apart in elevation.

Name Variants

Çilesiz is also known by the names Depte, Tepte, and Karye-i Depte. This variety of names adds another cultural perspective to the landscape and plant associations.

Discover more destinations: Akarsu, Erzurum, Cevizlik Köyü, Üzümlü, Refahiye, Kavaklık Köyü, Erzincan

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