Özükavak: Green Plateaus and Archaeological Traces

As temperatures rise, the plateaus and mountain areas of Özükavak turn a rich green in spring. During this season, the plateaus welcome both seasonal users and people looking to picnic. Families spend the day there having picnics. The seasonal context is useful for planning your trip: the lush greenery and picnicking are associated with spring, whereas the archaeological stone works are dated across several centuries.

Spring on the Plateaus

According to a report dated June 2, 2025, pavilions were set up for public use at Sıtma Pınarı in the Özükavak Plateau. Before visiting, check locally whether they are available for use. This connects the specific information about the pavilions with a practical question for your planning, without assuming that they are currently available.

Archaeological Traces and Their Dating

In a decision dated August 28, 2025, the settlement of Dörtdönüm Mevkii Tepeüstü in Özükavak’s Bağlarbaşı Mahallesi was registered as a third-degree archaeological site. The boundary includes some parcels in their entirety and others in part as components of the third-degree archaeological excavation or protection area.

Stone Objects in the Courtyard of Yakup Mosque

An archaeological documentation published in 2023 locates several limestone objects in the courtyard of Yakup Mosque in Özükavak. These include a screw weight stone dating from the 4th to 6th centuries AD. It is 0.78 m long, 0.70 m wide, and 0.62 m high. One side bears a Maltese cross in a relief medallion.

The documentation also describes a partly worked limestone column base dating from the 5th to 6th centuries AD. It has two smooth, unprofiled plinths, a torus, and a right-angled profile. At the top are a dowel hole with a diameter of 0.065 m and a lead-pouring channel. Two unornamented limestone column impost capitals date from the 4th to 6th centuries AD. They too are only partly worked, and each has a flat profile 0.11 m high in the abacus area. The cross medallion stands out as a decorative feature on the weight stone; the profiles and degree of workmanship are the main features of the base and capitals.

Other Archaeological Sites and Forms

The documentation locates a marble frieze block dating from the 4th to 6th centuries AD in the garden of the water tank in Özükavak. It bears 18 fluting motifs; the underside and front have breaks and missing sections. In the courtyard of the Yağmur Baba Tomb is an unornamented rectangular limestone lintel block. It measures 2.14 m long, 0.35 m high, and 0.86 m deep.

Two shallow, circular limestone mortars with central axle sockets are located in front of the municipal office building. The larger has a diameter of 1.90 m and a height of 0.58 m; the smaller measures 1.66 m in diameter and 0.46 m in height. The direct comparison in size makes a specific difference between the two objects visible, while their shape, material, and central axle sockets are shared features.

Textile Traditions

Textile examples are also among the local details associated with Özükavak. A flour sack from the mid-20th century is documented as being associated with the area. Its warp is made of cotton, and its weft and decoration are made of wool yarn. A carpet cushion from Çekerek-Özükavak is associated with Bedrettin Gökdemir as the informant. These two examples represent different textile references: the flour sack is identified by its period and materials, while the carpet cushion is linked to its informant.

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