Alaçatı and the Canhasan Sites

If you are looking for a hotel in Alaçatı and are weighing your travel interests, Canhasan offers a specific point of interest: the archaeological sites include Canhasan I, Canhasan II, and Canhasan III. Their chronological classifications range from prehistoric horizons to later-dated settlement phases. This makes it possible to connect Alaçatı with a look at different periods in settlement history.

Canhasan I: Neolithic and Chalcolithic Horizons

The Canhasan sites include pre-pottery Neolithic and Chalcolithic horizons. Seven cultural layers are recorded for Canhasan I; their classification is based on the documented excavation sequence from 1960 to 1967. Different periods are distinguished within these layers: Layers 2A and 2B are considered fully representative of Chalcolithic artifacts and architecture. Layers 4 to 7 were identified entirely as Neolithic.

This classification helps keep the two periods distinct. In particular, the architecture uncovered in the Chalcolithic layers of Canhasan I was previously unknown in Central Anatolia. For travelers interested in early building forms and material evidence, the appeal lies in the connection between architecture and chronology. The names of the individual layers refer to different archaeological contexts, not to a single unified era.

Canhasan II and III: Differences in Dating and Research

Canhasan II is generally dated later than the other Canhasan mounds. Based on the finds, the settlement was assigned to later periods; its dating from the Hellenistic to the Ottoman period is considered probable. This clearly distinguishes Canhasan II from the Neolithic and Chalcolithic horizons described at Canhasan I. The dating is a general archaeological classification, not an exact chronological boundary.

Canhasan III is approximately 650 meters from Canhasan I. Research at Canhasan III took place in 1969 and 1970. Pigments observed on house floors and in plaster layers point to architectural parallels. Archaeological work at Canhasan resumed in 2021 after an interruption of around five decades. The earlier years of work at Canhasan III and the later resumption of work provide two different chronological reference points for research on the sites.

The geographic details also help distinguish the names: the road to Sudurağı crosses the Canhasan I and II sites in Alaçatı, while Canhasan III is approximately 650 meters from Canhasan I. These details describe the sites' spatial relationships, not the conditions for visiting them.

Culture in the wider destination of Karaman

In the wider destination of Karaman, the nearby Karaman Museum provides a regional connection to Canhasan: finds from the Canhasan mounds are displayed there. Other buildings in Karaman also offer a distinct historical comparison. Karaman Castle is located in the city center and probably dates from the late 11th or early 12th century. The castle consists of three nested rings of fortifications called the outer, middle, and inner castles. The inner castle is situated on a hill with traces from the Bronze Age and the Roman and Byzantine periods.

Another example is the Hatuniye Madrasa in the center of Karaman. Nefise Sultan, daughter of the Ottoman Sultan Murat Hüdavendigar and wife of Karamanoğlu Alaaddin Bey, had it built in 1382. The madrasa has an open courtyard and an iwan; arcades surround the sides of the courtyard. Student cells are located on the east and west sides. In contrast to Canhasan's prehistoric horizons, the focus here is on a much later building history. These regional examples belong to Karaman, not to the Canhasan sites in Alaçatı.

Discover more destinations: Ermenek, Ayrancı, Ambar, Kazımkarabekir, Koçaşlı, Akçaşehir Belediyesi, Karaman

Go to the wider travel overview: Karaman.